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The  Christian  Chinese  Preacher. 


LENG  TSO, 

THE  CHINESE  BIBLE -WOMAN. 

A SEQUEL  TO 

“THE  CHINESE  SLAVE-GIRL.” 


BY  THE 

Rev.  J.  A.  DAVIS, 

AUTHOR  OK 

“ The  Chinese  Slave-Girl,”  “ Choh  Lin,”  “ Tom  Bard,”  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

No.  1334  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


COPYRIGHT,  1886,  BY 

THE  TRUSTEES  OF  THE 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 


ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED. 


Westcott  & Thomson, 
Stereotypers  and  Electrotypers , Philada. 


TO 

®lje  Cljiliiren  of  fcos  (tub  Pore  pars 

WHO  BY  LETTER,  THROUGH  FRIENDS  AND  FACE  TO  FACE  HAVE  ASKED 
THE  AUTHOR  TO  TELL  MORE  ABOUT 

“THE  CHINESE  SLAVE-GIRL," 

THIS  BOOK 

Is  jAffatianatelg  JUbicaltb, 

IN  THE  HOPE  THAT  THEY,  THROUGH  INTEREST  IN  THE  SLAVE-GIRL 
AND  THE  BIBLE-WOMAN,  MAY  BE  LED  TO  DO  AND  TO  PRAY 
FOR  THE  MANY  MILLIONS  IN  CHINA  WHO  KNOW 
NOTHING  ABOUT  JESUS. 


PREFACE. 


FEW  may  agree  with  the  writer  that  a 
preface  should  be  at  the  end  rather  than 
at  the  beginning  of  a book,  but,  in  point  of 
fact,  in  the  preface  the  author  is  supposed  to 
answer  the  inquiries  of  his  readers  after 
they  have  read  what  he  has  written.  For 
those  who  may  honor  the  author  by  read- 
ing Leng  Tso  through,  he  replies  to  ques- 
tions which  may  arise. 

This  book  has  been  written  at  the  request 
of  readers  of  The  Chinese  Slave-  Girl  who 
wish  to  know  more  about  Leng  Tso.  Be- 
lieving that  these  readers,  and  others  who 
may  peruse  this  book,  are  interested  in 
missions  in  China,  the  writer  has  given 
glimpses  of  the  mission  work — not  imag- 
inary, but  real.  The  characters  introduced 
are  real  persons,  though  the  author  has 
given  other  than  real  names  to  those  now 
living  and  to  several  of  the  more  prominent 


6 


PREFACE. 


places.  This  has  been  done  because  the 
author  deems  himself  unable  to  do  justice 
to  the  men  and  women  of  whom  he  writes. 

If  views  have  been  given  that  might 
better  have  remained  hidden,  and  if  others 
which  might  well  have  been  made  more 
prominent  have  been  placed  in  the  shade 
or  hidden  altogether,  the  author  begs  the 
pardon  of  all  who  may  be  unfairly  repre- 
sented. His  purpose  has  been  to  give,  as 
for  as  he  was  able,  a truthful  and  fair  view 
of  both  the  bright  side  and  the  dark  side  of 
Chinese  mission  work.  He  is  not  conscious 
of  attempting  to  gloss  over  defects,  nor  yet 
of  trying  to  make  too  prominent  excellences 
and  successes.  For  fear  that  he  might  be 
led  unduly  to  honor  those  missionaries  for 
whom  he  has  the  deepest  admiration,  he  has 
tried  to  tell  the  story  as  far  as  possible  with- 
out presenting  them  at  all. 

In  the  hope  and  prayer  that  this  little 
book  may  lead  all  who  read  it  to  do  and  to 
be,  to  pray  and  to  expect,  more  for  missions 
in  China,  it  is  sent  forth  by  the  author 
with  a prayer  to  the  Master  of  missions 
that  he  may  guide  and  bless  it. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

The  Bible-Woman 9 

CHAPTER  II. 

In  Ha  Bun 36 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  New  Seminary 58 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Toa  Aw 84 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Girls’  School 109 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Work  in  the  Girls’  School 138 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  New  Religion  at  Toa  Aw 169 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

A Journey  to  Ha  Bun 201 


7 


8 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TAGE 

Love  in  the  School 236 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Anti-Feetbinding  Society 272 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Trouble  in  Thau  Pau 287 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Khiau’s  Sorrow •••...  300 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Leng  Tso’s  Sorrow  320 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Persecuted,  but  Sustained 340 

CHAPTER  XV. 

A Wife’s  Trials 349 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Mission  Work  by  the  Chinese 369 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Once  More 396 


LENG  TSO. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  BIBLE-WOMAN. 

“ OOMETHING  must  be  done  for  the 
b-J  girls  and  women  of  our  country,”  said 
Leng  Tso,  the  Chinese  Bible-woman,  as  she 
sat  in  the  little  chapel  in  the  village  of 
Thau  Pau.  “ Men  may  preach  ; they  may 
open  chapels  and  gather  churches ; yet, 
unless  they  are  able  to  speak  more  to  the 
women,  it  will  take  ten  thousand  years 
before  the  Middle  Kingdom  becomes  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.” 

“ But  what  more  can  be  done  ?”  asked 
one  of  the  women,  who  was  listening  intently. 
“ The  preachers  have  done  all  they  can,  and 
the  work  is  slowly  gaining  ground.  It  may 
be  that  the  Lord  means  the  Middle  King- 

9 


10 


LENG  TSO. 


dom  * to  take  many  years  to  think  about 
the  doctrine,  and  then  he  will  suddenly 
startle  all  into  accepting  the  word.” 

“ That  may  be,”  replied  the  Bible-woman, 
“ but  we  must  not  wait  in  such  a hope  : we 
must  do  all  in  our  power  to  bring  the  whole 
nation  to  the  truth.  The  Lord  can,  and  per- 
haps will,  do  great  things,  but  he  expects  us 
to  do  all  we  can  first.  He  completes  the 
work  his  people  have  carried  on  as  far  as 
they  can,  but  does  not  take  it  out  of  their 
hands.  The  Lord  does  not  like  lazy  people; 
he  expects  all  to  work,  and  to  work  as  much 
as  they  can.” 

“That  is  just  what  our  husbands  and  the 
teachers  are  doing,”  said  Liong  So.  “ Why 
should  we  find  cause  to  complain  if  they  do 
not  bring  the  whole  nation  at  once  to  the 
Saviour  ?” 

“ They  are  doing  their  part,  and  doing  it 
well,”  responded  Kliiau  So,  the  wife  of  the 
preacher  in  the  Thau  Pan  chapel,  “ but 
what  are  we,  the  women,  doing?  We  are 
sitting  with  folded  hands,  and  all  around  us 
our  sisters  are  perishing.” 

* The  Chinese  name  for  their  country. 


THE  BIBLE-WOMAN. 


11 


“ That  is  true,”  spoke  Liong  So,  with  a 
sigh,  “ but  what  can  we  do  ?” 

“We  can  tell  them  of  the  Saviour,”  said 
Leng  Tso,  quietly  but  decidedly. 

“ Yes,  you  may,”  answered  one  of  the 
women  who  had  been  silent ; “ you  have 
no  home-cares  to  keep  you,  no  husband  nor 
children  to  see  to  : we  have  both.  You  can 
go,  but  we  must  stay  at  home  to  do  the 
work  there.” 

“Even  if  we  had  no  cares  nor  families, 
we  could  not  go  out  among  the  people  in  the 
streets  and  into  the  homes  of  others,”  said 
Liong  So,  “ while  we  are  yet  young  women. 
It  is  against  the  custom  of  the  Middle 
Kingdom.” 

“ So  is  the  worship  of  the  one  true  God 
and  faith  in  Jesus  as  a Saviour  against  the 
custom  of  our  country,”  replied  Khiau  So. 
“ Would  you  for  that  reason  allow  your 
husband,  your  children,  your  friends,  to  die 
without  knowing  about  the  Saviour  and 
believing  on  him?’ 

“ Our  religion  and  the  customs  of  the 
nation  are  very  different,”  was  the  answer. 
“ It  is  not  unknown,  nor  even  uncommon, 


12 


LENG  TSO. 


for  men  to  change  their  religion,  hut  for  men 
in  the  Middle  Kingdom  to  change  their 
customs — can  never  be.  Some  worship  as 
Confucius  taught ; others,  as  the  Tauists 
teach ; still  others,  as  the  Buddhists  teach ; 
others  yet  follow  the  doctrines  of  the  Mo- 
hammedans. And  not  a few  are  becoming 
Roman  Catholics,  while  a great  many  fol- 
low one  doctrine  or  another  as  best  suits 
them,  some  taking  parts  from  all.  Thus 
people  are  changing  their  religions,  but  not 
their  customs.” 

“ Did  not  we  change  our  customs,”  asked 
the  Bible-woman,  “ when  we  gave  up  the 
worship  of  our  ancestors  for  the  service  of 
the  true  God?  Have  we  not  given  up  the 
worship  of  spirits  and  of  idols?  Do  we 
keep  the  idolatrous  feasts  any  more?  Are 
not  we  beginning  to  give  up  the  custom  of 
binding  the  feet  of  the  girls  ? Have  we  not 
given  up  the  idolatrous  and  superstitious 
parts  of  our  marriage  and  other  cere- 
monies ?” 

“ Giving  up  the  binding  of  the  girls’ 
feet?”  asked  a woman,  in  surprise,  after 
Leng  Tso  had  finished.  “Who  has  given 


THE  BIBLE- WOMAN. 


13 


up  that  custom,  and  where?  I have  never 
heard  of  it  before.” 

“Yes,”  replied  the  Bible-woman ; “the 
foreign  pastors  said  that  in  some  places  the 
Christian  mothers  of  the  Middle  Kingdom 
are  not  only  giving  up  the  practice,  but 
some  have  torn  otf  the  bandages  and  are 
allowing  their  daughters’  feet  to  grow  large 
like  those  of  the  large-footed  women.” 

“ Well,  that  is  news,  and  strange  news 
too,”  cried  several.  “ What  will  the  man- 
darins say  ? People  will  no  longer  be  able 
to  tell  the  difference  between  a lady  and  a 
common  woman.  That  change  of  custom 
may  bring  trouble.” 

“ Following  the  custom  brings  more  trou- 
ble,” spoke  Khiau  So,  decidedly.  “ It  may 
be  a beautiful  sign,  but  it  costs  too  much  to 
carry  it.  The  girls  suffer  when  their  feet  are 
bound,  and  they  must  always  be  partly  help- 
less, as  I know,  and  perhaps  we  all  know  to 
our  sorrow.  A poor  woman  who  has  lost  her 
husband  and  friends  and  has  no  property, 
if  she  have  small  feet — and  there  are  many 
such — must  suffer  all  the  rest  of  her  life 
because  her  feet  unfit  her  for  work.  But 


14 


I,  ENG  TSO. 


let  us  speak  more  of  what  Ban  Chim*  was 
just  now  saying.” 

“ Ban  Chim  can  talk,”  said  Liong  So, 
“ for  she  has  no  family ; she  has  no  husband 
to  stop  her,  and  nothing  to  hinder.  I am 
glad  that  she  can  do  the  work  that  she  likes, 
but  the  rest  of  us  cannot  do  it,  and  no  one 
will  expect  it  of  us.” 

“ No  one  but  He  who  knows  what  we 
can  and  what  we  cannot  do,”  replied  the 
Bible-woman,  quietly.  “ Some  day  wTe  must 
meet  God ; what  if  he  should  ask  how 
much  we  had  done  to  save  the  women  of 
our  country?  Would  the  Almighty  be 
satisfied  if  we  answered  that  the  customs  of 
the  Middle  Kingdom  prevented  ? We,  as 
Christians,  are  to  obey  and  serve  God  first, 
and  our  country  with  its  customs  afterward.” 

“ I do  not  see  why  we  should  be  so  strict 
about  everything,”  spoke  up  one  of  the 
women.  “We  cannot  do  all  that  ought  to 
be  done,  so  we  are  only  to  do  what  we  can. 


* Ban  Chim  was  the  name  by  which  the  Bible-woman  was 
known.  Ban  was  her  former  husband’s  name,  she  being  a 
widow.  Chim  is  the  Chinese  term  for  “ Mrs.”  for  an  elderly 
woman,  and  So  for  a younger  married  woman. 


THE  BIBLE-  WOMAN. 


15 


As  we  cannot  break  through  the  customs  of 
our  country,  we  must  obey  them  until  it  is 
possible  to  change  them.” 

“ What  good  can  we  do  ?”  asked  another. 
“We  are  unable  to  read  the  holy  book,  and 
we  know  so  little  that  we  can  hardly  tell 
others  anything  at  all  about  the  ‘doctrine,’  ” 
as  the  people  call  the  gospel. 

“We  all  know  enough  about  Jesus  to 
believe  in  him  ourselves,”  replied  Khiau 
So,  “ and  we  could  tell  them  as  much  as  we 
know.  If  that  saves  us,  it  could  save  them ; 
and  that  is  what  we  wish.” 

“ That  we  are  unable  to  read  is  not  our 
fault,”  said  Leng  Tso,  “ but  the  fault  of  those 
who  went  before  us.  If  we  suffer  for  what 
they  did,  shall  we  allow  those  coming  after  us 
to  suffer  on  account  of  our  neglect  ?” 

“ What  do  you  mean  ?”  asked  several 
women  at  once. 

“ Just  this,”  was  the  reply : “ because  we 
were  not  taught  to  read,  shall  the  girls  of 
the  present  time  be  compelled  to  grow  up 
in  ignorance?  Because  mothers  were  not 
taught,  shall  girls  never  be  allowed  to  learn 
to  read  the  Bible?” 


16 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Girls  read !”  almost  shouted  one  or  two, 
in  amazement.  “ Who  ever  heard  of  such  a 
thing?” 

“ I was  taught  to  read,”  spoke  Kliiau  So, 
gently,  “ and  it  was  not  uncommon  for  girls, 
the  daughters  of  rich  men  in  the  Foo  city, 
where  I was  born  and  lived  most  of  my  life, 
to  be  taught  to  read.” 

“Yes,”  said  Liong  So,  “but  that  was  be- 
fore the  country  was  so  poor.  Few  daugh- 
ters are  taught  now  to  read  in  the  Foo  city ; 
their  fathers  and  mothers  think  themselves 
fortunate  if  their  girls  can  be  kept  alive  at 
home,  to  speak  nothing  of  educating  them. 
Few  have  been  brought  up  as  Khiau  So  was. 
None  of  us  can  send  our  daughters  to  school 
at  all ; if  we  can  only  keep  them  until  old 
enough  to  be  married,  it  is  all  we  ask.” 

“ Yet  something  must  be  done  if  we  are 
to  tell  the  women  of  the  true  God,”  persist- 
ed Leng  Tso.  “ If  mothers  cannot  educate 
their  daughters  at  their  homes,  and  if  girls 
cannot  go  to  schools  near,  why  cannot  some 
live  in  a school,  like  the  students  of  the 
large  schools  ? Let  teachers  be  prepared 
for  the  future.” 


THE  BIBLE-  WOMAN. 


17 


“ What ! women  to  teach  ?”  exclaimed 
two  or  three  of  the  women  at  once.  “ Who 
ever  heard  of  such  a thing  ?” 

“ I have  heard  of  it,”  replied  the  Bible- 
woman.  “ The  foreign  pastors  say  that  in 
their  country  girls  are  taught  to  read  and 
write,  and  even  to  teach  others.  If  Chris- 
tian people  do  so  in  other  lands,  why  should 
not  we  have  girls  taught  in  the  Middle 
Kingdom  to  teach  others?” 

“We  cannot  make  this  land  like  outside 
countries,”  was  the  reply ; “ it  was  made 
better,  and  so  it  must  always  be.” 

“ It  is  a good  land,”  said  Khiau  So,  “ yet 
it  did  not  have  the  true  God  nor  the  right 
doctrine.  What  we  need  is  some  way  to 
make  those  known  to  the  women  in  this 
country.” 

“ Yes,  and  the  women  of  the  Middle 
Kingdom  must  do  it,”  added  the  Bible- 
woman. 

“Well,  let  them,  if  any  are  able,”  replied 
Liong  So.  “ I,  for  one,  am  not ; I can 
neither  leave  my  family  nor  could  I read 
were  I able  to  go  about  among  the  women. 
Ban  Chim  can  go ; she  lias  nothing  to 
2 


18 


LENG  TSO. 


hinder,  and  slie  can  read  almost  as  well  as  a 
graduate.” 

“ But  she  did  not  learn  to  read  until  she 
was  older  than  some  of  you,”  spoke  Kliiau 
So. 

“ What ! learned  to  read  after  she  was 
married  ?”  asked  a young  woman,  in  sur- 
prise. “ How  can  that  be  ?” 

“ If  you  would  like  to  hear,  I will  tell  you 
the  story  of  my  life,”  said  the  Bible-woman, 
who  was  always  glad  to  tell  her  earlier  his- 
tory. 

“ Yes,  tell  it,”  said  several  at  once. 

“ When  I was  a very  small  child,”  began 
Leng  Tso,*  “ there  came  a fearful  famine  to 
the  village  where  I was  born ; no  rain  fell 
for  a long  time,  and  the  water  in  streams  and 
wells  dried  up.  My  parents  were  poor,  and  at 
last,  to  save  my  two  brothers  from  starvation, 

* Those  who  would  like  to  read  more  of  the  early  life  of 
this  Bible-woman  will  find  it  in  The  Chinese  Slave-Girl,  publish- 
ed by  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication.  Any  who  may 
have  read  that  story  will  pardon  the  author  for  repeating  it 
very  briefly  here,  as  some  would  not  understand  Leng  Tso’s 
later  history  without  a brief  sketch  of  that  which  took  place 
earlier.  Many  in  Thau  Pau  were  acquainted  with  her  history, 
but  the  younger  people  knew  little  regarding  the  life  of  the 
Bible-woman. 


THE  BIBLE- WOMAN. 


19 


I,  the  youngest  child,  was  sold  to  become  the 
slave-girl  of  Tin  Hou  Kek,  who  then  lived 
in  this  village.” 

“ What ! were  you  a slave-girl  once  ? and 
did  you  live  in  this  place?”  asked  two  or 
three  of  the  younger  women. 

“Yes,”  was  the  reply;  “I  was  brought 
here,  and  lived  in  Thau  Pan  until  I was  a 
woman.  Then  I was  sold  to  become  the 
second  wife  of  a man  who  was  an  opium- 
smoker.  He  was  rich,  but  lost  most  of  his 
property ; then,  with  his  family,  he  moved 
to  the  great  Foo  city,  where  he  started  busi- 
ness. There  he  began  gambling,  and  lost 
all  his  property.  In  the  madness  of  gam- 
bling, when  he  had  lost  all  besides,  he  sold 
me  to  get  money.  I became  the  property  of 
another  man.  He  was  yet  young,  nor  was  I 
old,  and  he  took  me  as  his  wife.  Children 
were  born  to  us,  but  some  of  them  died  or 
were  given  away ; one  was  stolen  from  my 
husband ; and  finally  I was  left  with  only 
one  son.” 

“ Is  that  the  son  who  lives  down  the  coun- 
try ?”  was  asked. 

“ No,”  replied  the  Bible-woman  ; “ that  is 


20 


LENG  TSO. 


the  one  who  was  stolen  from  my  husband. 
But  I will  tell  you  more  about  him.  When 
the  Tai  Ping  rebels  captured  the  Foo  city, 
my  husband,  his  mother  and  our  little  boy 
tried  at  night  to  escape  from  the  city,  but 
my  husband  was  captured,  and  I never  saw 
him  again.  Without  doubt  he  was  killed. 
He  was  a good  man,”  added  she,  in  a lower 
voice ; “ and  had  he  lived,  no  doubt  he  would 
have  believed  the  gospel.  But  he  died  with- 
out knowing  anything  about  it.” 

For  a few  moments  the  voice  of  Leng  Tso 
was  still  as  her  hands  wiped  away  tears  that 
were  steadily  falling.  The  women  around 
looked  pityingly  at  her  as  they  silently 
waited  for  her  to  speak. 

“ It  was  an  awful  time,”  spoke  one  of  the 
older  women,  as  the  Bible-womau  sat  in 
silence,  “ when  those  rebels  were  marching 
through  the  country ; and  when  they  took 
the  Foo  city,  it  was  such  a time  as  I hope 
none  of  us  will  see  again.  The  ruin  they 
caused  there  remains  to  this  day.  The  Foo 
city  will  never  rise  from  the  ruin  caused  by 
its  capture  by  those  rebels.” 

“ They  were  not  the  only  ones  that  caused 


THE  BIBLE-  WOMAN. 


21 


that  destruction,”  suggested  Liong  So,  quiet- 
ly ; “ the  imperial  army  completed  what  the 
long-haired  rebels  began.”  * 

“Be  quiet!”  spoke  one  of  the  older 
women  ; “ let  her  tell  the  rest  of  her  his- 
tory.” 

“ I do  not  know  what  became  of  him,” 
continued  the  Bible-woman.  “ The  next 
day  my  husband’s  mother  and  our  little  boy 
disappeared.  I left  our  home  for  a few  min- 
utes ; and  when  I returned,  they  had  gone. 
I never  either  saw  or  heard  of  them  again. 
No  doubt  they  were  both  killed  by  rebel 
soldiers.  But  I believe  I shall  see  my  little 
boy  again  in  the  country  where  mothers  do 
not  long  for  absent  ones  ; it  may  be  that  the 
angels  told  Ko  Chin  of  Jesus  as  they  took 
his  young  spirit  to  heaven.  There  he  met 
his  baby-sister,  and  there  I shall  some  day 
meet  my  children.  Oh,  it  is  a blessed 
gospel,  to  tell  us  that  our  little  children  who 
die  may  be  ours  for  ever  ! No  religion  nor 

* The  Tai-Ping  rebellion  (called  also  by  the  Chinese  the 
“ Long-Haired  rebellion,”  because  the  rebels  wore  their  hair 
long  instead  of  shaving  the  head  except  the  cue)  was  the  most 
terrible  rebellion  that  the  Chinese  have  had  for  centuries. 


22 


LENG  TSO. 


custom  of  the  Middle  Kingdom  tells  us  that. 
Yes,  yes ! it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  true 
God.” 

“ It  is  a good  religion,”  added  one  of  the 
women,  “for  it  tells  us  that  God  loves  us 
all,  even  the  poorest  and  worst  of  us.” 

“And  he  loved  me,”  broke  in  the  Bible- 
woman  ; “ he  loved  me  so  much  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son  to  die  for  me.  Why 
should  not  I love  him  ? There  is  no  one  so 
good,  so  loving,  as  our  Saviour  who  died  to 
save  us.” 

“ What  did  you  do,”  asked  one  of  the 
young  women,  “when  you  were  left  alone? 
Did  you  have  friends  in  the  Foo  city?” 

“‘Friends’?  We  had  friends  nowhere 
then.  None  of  us  knew  that  we  would 
need  friends  from  one  hour  to  the  next.  We 
were  in  constant  fear  of  being  killed.  The 
streets  were  filled  with  the  dead,  and  our 
ears  were  constantly  startled  by  the  shrieks 
of  those  who  were  captured  and  taken  by 
the  soldiers  to  prison  or  to  death.  It  was 
no  unusual  sound  to  hear  the  cry  of  the 
dying  as  they  fell  beneath  a soldier’s  stroke. 
But  those  times  and  scenes  were  too  fearful 


THE  BIBLE-WOMAN. 


23 


to  repeat.  I only  wonder  that  a merciful 
God  brought  me  through  them  all  in  safety 
that  I might  hear  the  way  of  life.” 

“ Where  did  you  first  hear  the  doctrine  ?” 
was  asked. 

“After  my  husband  and  family  were  lost, 
I was  obliged  to  live  as  best  I could  until 
the  city  was  captured  by  the  imperial  army; 
then  they  burned  my  home,  with  very  many 
others.  After  that  I was  indeed  in  trouble ; 
I had  not  even  a home,  and  was  as  poor  as  a 
beggar.  When  the  rebels  were  conquered 
and  driven  away,  and  quiet  was  restored 
in  the  city,  I found  work.  One  day,  while 
wandering  around  through  the  city,  looking 
for  work,  I came  upon  the  chapel  where  one 
of  the  foreign  pastors  was  conducting  wor- 
ship. I listened  and  wondered.  I went 
again  and  again ; at  length  I found  Him 
who  through  all  these  years  had  been  seek- 
ing for  me.” 

“ What ! did  you  find  your  husband  ?” 
asked  a young  woman.  “ I thought  you 
said  that  you  never  saw  him  after  the  rebels 
took  him.  Did  not  they  kill  him?” 

“ No,  Un  Sia,”  replied  Leng  Tso ; “ it  was 


24 


LENG  TSO. 


not  my  husband  I found,  but  my  Saviour.  I 
found  him — rather,  he  found  me  and  showed 
himself  to  me  as  a loving  Saviour ; then  my 
heart  was  glad.  I have  never  been  lonely 
since.  There  have  been  longings,  but  he 
has  partly  satisfied  them,  and  I know  that  I 
shall  be  entirely  satisfied  when  I awake  in 
heaven  in  his  likeness.  Then,  too,  I shall 
meet  with  the  little  ones  who  through  those 
sad  years  have  waited  in  the  good  land  for 
me.” 

“ Tell  us  how  you  learned  to  read,”  sug- 
gested Khiau  So,  as  the  Bible-woman  seem- 
ed to  have  finished  her  story. 

“And  you  promised  to  tell  us  about  your 
son,”  added  another. 

“Yes,  true,”  spoke  Leng  Tso ; “I  forgot. 
When  I had  become  a disciple  of  Jesus  and 
learned  of  the  Bible  and  that  it  was  God’s 
book,  I wanted  to  read  it  for  myself.  Al- 
though I was  forty  years  old,  I asked  to  be 
allowed  to  go  to  school.  It  was  a hard  task, 
and  a long  one ; but  after  a while  I began  to 
learn  one  character  after  another,  and  to 
hold  them  in  my  mind  before  they  had 
slipped  out  of  my  memory  as  fish  go  through 


THE  BIBLE- WOMAN. 


25 


the  water.  Often  my  head  ached  and  it 
seemed  a hopeless  task ; but  when  I found 
several  characters  staying  in  my  memory 
day  after  day,  I took  courage.  After  a long 
struggle  I learned  to  read  the  third  chapter 
of  John.  That  I read  several  times  every 
day  until  I knew  it  almost  by  heart.  I used 
to  read  it  in  the  homes  of  my  friends  so 
often  that  it  was  called  Ban  Chim’s  chapter. 
Little  by  little  I learned  other  chapters,  and 
thus  have  continued,  until  now  I can  read 
much  of  the  New  Testament  and  some  in 
the  Old.  It  is  a good  book,  and  my  heart 
rests  when  my  soul  is  reading  it.  I wish 
that  every  woman  in  the  Middle  Kingdom 
could  read  it.  It  would  take  away  much 
of  the  trouble  and  sorrow  of  women’s  lives. 
Their  souls  are  hungry  and  at  times  almost 
starving  for  the  Bread  of  life,  and  yet  they 
have  not  the  key  to  the  closet  that  holds  the 
precious  food.” 

“ You  are  right,”  said  Khiau  So;  “read- 
ing the  holy  book  is  the  key  to  the  closet 
that  contains  the  Bread  of  life.  I wish  that 
more  had  the  key.  I know  how  sweet  the 
Bread  is — far  sweeter  when  we  take  it  our- 


26 


LENG  TSO. 


selves  from  the  closet  than  when  we  take  it 
through  the  hands  of  others.” 

The  preacher’s  wife  was  educated  and 
could  read  even  better  than  the  Bible- 
woman.  Her  parents  being  among  the 
aristocracy  of  the  Foo  city,  she  had  had 
advantages  that  few  women  of  China  have. 
When  she  grew  to  womanhood,  her  father 
died,  and  by  some  means  his  property  wTas 
lost.  Kliiau,  then  a business-man  in  the 
Foo  city,  and  rapidly  gaining  wealth,  mar- 
ried her.  When  the  city  was  taken  by 
rebels,  he  and  his  wife  were  away,  and  so 
escaped  death.  During  this  absence  they 
heard  the  gospel  and  became  Christians. 
After  the  rebellion,  their  property  having 
been  almost  entirely  destroyed,  he  entered 
the  service  of  the  mission,  and  in  time 
became,  as  we  now  find  him,  a preacher. 

“You  have  not  yet  told  us  about  your 
son,”  suggested  one  of  Leng  Tso’s  listeners. 
“ Where  is  he,  and  how  did  you  find 
him  ?” 

We  will  not  take  the  reader’s  time  to  tell 
the  story  of  the  finding  of  her  son  as  the 
Bible-woman  told  it ; suffice  it  to  say  that 


THE  li  I TILE-  WOMAN. 


27 


after  she  had  learned  to  read  she  went  about 
among  the  women  in  different  places,  and  in 
one  of  the  Christian  chapels  met  a young 
man  whom  she  found  to  be  her  long-lost 
son.  He  had  been  sold  by  those  who  stole 
him  to  a rich  man,  who  adopted  him  into 
his  family.  When  the  boy  Lin  grew  to 
manhood,  he  became  a Christian.  His 
“ adopted  father,”  as  the  Chinese  call  it, 
tried  to  persuade  the  young  man  to  give  up 
the  worship  of  the  foreign  God  and  return 
to  idols ; this  the  young  man  refused  to  do. 
The  father,  at  length  exasperated  at  what 
seemed  such  obstinate  wickedness,  struck  the 
youth  with  a heavy  instrument  and  left  him 
on  the  ground  for  dead.  Christian  friends 
took  care  of  him,  and  Lin  was  restored  to 
health,  but  was  disowned  by  the  man  who 
had  adopted  him.  The  reader  will  learn 
more  of  Lin  farther  on. 

When  she  had  concluded  the  story  of 
finding  her  son,  Leng  Tso  returned  again  to 
the  subject  of  learning  to  read. 

“ It  is  not  easy,”  said  she,  “ to  learn  to 
read ; but  no  good  thing  is  easy.  It  is  not 
easy  for  us  to  fight  the  evil  one,  and  it  is 


28 


LENG  TSO. 


only  by  bard  struggles  that  we  can  conquer ; 
but  by  tbe  grace  of  God  we  shall  conquer  at 
last.  So  it  will  be  with  those  who  try  to 
read  : they  will  learn  ; it  may  be  slowly,  but 
they  must,  if  they  keep  on  trying,  learn  to 
read  after  a while ; and  when  they  do  learn, 
the  first  chapter  they  are  able  to  read  will 
repay  them  for  all  the  effort.  It  is  worth  a 
year  of  study  to  read  such  passages  as  these : 

‘ For  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life,’  and  ‘ In  my  Father’s  house 
are  many  mansions ; if  it  were  not  so  I 
would  have  told  you : I go  to  prepare  a place 
for  you  ; and  if  I go  and  prepare  a place  for 
you  I will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto 
myself,  that  where  I am  there  ye  may  be 
also.’  Ah ! it  is  a book  full  of  food  for  tbe 
soul ; it  is  rich  pasture  for  the  flock  of  God, 
and  far  better  than  tbe  dried  grass  that  we 
must  take  from  the  hands  of  others  if  unable 
to  read  ourselves.”  Then,  recollecting  her- 
self, she  added,  “Yet  our  shepherds,  when 
they  read  it  to  us,  give  of  the  rich  juicy 
grass  that  they  cut  as  they  go  along,  but  we 


THE  BIBLE-WOMAN. 


29 


must  eat  what  they  cut  for  us,  and  not  choose 
for  ourselves.  To  be  able  to  read  is  to 
run  free  in  the  pastures  of  the  Lord,  and 
that  is  the  way  to  make  the  flock  strong 
and  healthy.” 

“ What  difference  does  it  make,  Ban 
Chim,”  asked  one  of  the  women,  “ if  the 
pastor  knows  what  his  flock  needs  and  gives 
the  food  as  each  wants  it  ?” 

“ Just  this,”  was  her  reply  : “ we  see  some 
animals  going  off  alone  to  eat  the  rich  grass 
by  some  spring ; others  like  to  crop  that  on 
the  hillside,  and  others  on  plains ; each  has 
its  own  choice,  because  each  knows  what  it 
needs  and  craves.  So  it  is  with  God’s  flock. 
Some  need  the  strong  food,  others  that  which 
is  more  mild ; and  if  each  can  read,  then 
each  can  choose  what  is  most  needed.  If 
seekers  must  depend  on  another,  they  may 
often  be  compelled  to  take  that  which  they 
do  not  like  and  do  not  need,  or  go  hungry. 
Besides,  the  shepherd  cannot  always  be  with 
the  flock,  and  while  he  is  absent  many  a one 
may  suffer  from  hunger ; let  each  one  be  free 
to  run  in  the  pasture,  and  none  need  suffer.” 

“ Ban  Chim  is  right,”  spoke  Khiau  So, 


30 


LENG  TSO. 


“ and  I hope  that  before  long  we  shall  all 
learn  to  read  the  holy  book.” 

“We  would  gladly  learn,”  replied  one, 
“ if  it  did  not  take  so  long ; but  it  requires 
years  of  study  before  one  can  read  even  a 
small  portion  of  the  New  Testament,  and 
almost  a lifetime  to  be  able  to  read  all  there 
is  in  the  holy  book.” 

“ Have  you  heard  there  is  a new  way  of 
reading  that  the  foreign  pastors  have  shown  ?” 
asked  Leng  Tso? 

“ ‘ A new  way  of  reading  ’ ?”  inquired 
several,  in  surprise.  “What  is  it?  How 
can  there  be  any  other  way  than  that  which 
the  Middle  Kingdom  has  used  for  so  many 
ages?” 

“ There  is,  nevertheless,  a new  way,”  said 
the  Bible-woman,  decidedly  ; “ I saw  women 
learning  when  I was  down  to  Ha  Bun.  It 
is  a very  easy  way,  too — so  easy  that  some 
learn  to  read  in  a little  more  than  a month.” 
“ ‘ A little  more  than  a month’  ?”  spoke 
two  or  three,  half  in  derision,  half  in  doubt. 
“ Yes,  so  do  people  learn  in  less  than  a month 
to  read  with  our  way,  but  how  much  can 
they  read  ?” 


THE  B1BLE-W0MAN. 


31 


“ That  is  just  where  this  new  way  is  so 
strange,”  replied  the  Bible-woman ; “ when 
able  to  read  one  book,  they  can  read  all.’ 
This  statement  was  greeted  with  more  than 
doubt.  It  may  not  be  known  to  some  young 
readers  that  the  Chinese  written  language  is 
not  spelled  or  expressed  by  words  made  up 
of  single  letters  ; each  word  has  a sign  of  its 
own,  and  to  know  how  to  read  every  book 
one  must  know  the  meaning  and  sound  of 
each  of  the  more  than  twenty  thousand 
different  word-sisms.  To  learn  all  these  re- 

o 

quires  not  only  a marvelous  memory,  but 
years  of  time.  It  may  well  be  doubted  if 
any  one  ever  learns  all  the  characters  in 
common  use  in  that  language,  so  it  may  be 
questioned  whether  or  not  any  reader  is  able 
to  read  all  Chinese  books,  no  matter  how 
learned  he  may  be.  He  may  know  nearly  all 
the  characters,  yet  in  some  book  may  meet 
with  unknown  ones ; all  his  former  knowl- 
edge of  Chinese  will  not  teach  him  the 
sound  or  meaning  of  those  characters : he 
must  learn  them  as  new  ones.  Each  book 
may  have  some  words,  and  thus  some  char- 
acters, that  he  has  never  seen  before ; so  that 


32 


LENG  TSO. 


it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  a person  who 
can  read  one  book  can  read  another.  Indeed, 
if  he  be  able  to  read  only  one  ever  so  well, 
it  is  certain  that  he  cannot  read  another 
without  learning  new  characters. 

“ How  can  they  read  all  books  if  able  to 
read  one?”  was  asked  of  the  Bible-woman. 

“ The  foreign  pastors  have  shown  twenty- 
three  small  characters,*  each  one  haying  a 
name  and  sound  of  its  own,  and  these  are 
put  together  in  a very  great  many  differ- 
ent ways.  Each  way  has  its  own  sound  and 
meaning ; but  when  you  know  the  sound  of 
each  of  those  twenty-three  small  characters, 
and  are  able  to  put  their  different  sounds 
together  and  make  the  one  sound  that  the 
characters  joined  together  make,  you  can 
read  every  book  written  with  them.” 

The  women  listened  to  the  description,  but 
did  not  get  the  idea  that  to  us  is  so  simple. 
That  any  one  could  learn  to  read  a book  in 
a month  or  two  seemed  to  them  impossible. 
They  did  not  accuse  the  Bible-woman  of 
telling  an  untruth,  but  they  were  silent 
enough  to  make  her  see  that  they  did  not 


* Letters. 


THE  BIBLE-WOMAN. 


33 


believe  what  she  said.  Nor  would  they 
believe  the  assertion  that  it  was  possible  to 
learn  to  read  at  all  in  so  short  a time,  until 
Leng  Tso’s  statements  were  endorsed  by 
Khiau,  the  preacher. 

To  others  than  Chinese  it  may  seem  im- 
possible that  any  woman  of  ordinary  ability 
should  learn  to  read  within  a month  unless 
she  had  some  knowledge  of  letters  before. 
The  explanation  is  simple.  There  are  only 
twenty-four  separate  sounds  in  the  dialect  of 
the  Fokien  province;  and  of  that  only,  and  not 
of  the  general  written  language,  is  the  author 
now  writing.  These  the  missionaries  express 
by  seventeen  letters  of  our  alphabet,  together 
with  seven  combinations.  The  letters  and 
combinations  are  a,  b,  ch,  chh,  e,  g,  h,  i,j,  k, 
Jch,  l , m,  n,  ng,  o (and  o with  an  added  dot), 
p,  ph,  s,  t,  tli,  u and  an  added  small  n ; with 
these  are  used  the  capital  letters  as  we  use 
them.  The  language  of  China  is  composed 
of  words  of  one  syllable,  and  most  of  these 
words  can  be  written  wuth  two  and  three 
letters;  some,  however,  require  four,  five, 
and  even  six,  while  a very  few  need  seven 
to  express  their  sounds.  The  number  of 

3 


34 


LENG  TSO. 


words  in  the  spoken  language  or  dialect  of 
the  Fokien  province  is  not  large.  It  will  be 
seen  from  these  facts  that  to  learn  to  read 
this — which  is  called  the  Romanized  collo- 
quial— -does  not  require  a great  deal  of  study. 
It  is  not  uncommon  for  women  to  learn  to 
read  it  with  some  ease  in  a month. 

Many  may  ask,  Why,  then,  are  not  all 
the  Chinese  taught  to  read  this  colloquial  ? 

There  are  several  reasons.  This  colloquial 
is  spoken  by  but  few  comparatively  of  the 
people  of  that  country.  To  give  them 
books  in  the  different  dialects  would  require 
a great  many  translations,  whereas  the  reg- 
ular written  language  can  be  read  by  all 
who  are  able  to  read,  no  matter  what  dialect 
they  may  speak.  Then  these  dialects  are 
not  fixed  ; the  same  word  may  have  in  places 
not  far  separated  very  different  meanings. 
The  dialects  gradually  change,  and  one 
slowly  blends  into  another.  The  learned 
look  with  disdain  upon  this  manner  of 
printing  and  reading.  It  is  at  best  but  a 
temporary  method  of  holding  the  truth 
before  the  eyes  of  the  common  people,  but 
it  is  a method  that  shows  the  genius  and 


THE  BIBLE-WOMAN. 


35 


aptness  of  the  missionaries  to  meet  and  to 
conquer  difficulties. 

The  preacher  was  believed,  but  not  fully 
understood ; nor  did  his  own  explanations, 
added  to  those  of  his  wife  and  the  Bible- 
woman,  make  the  matter  clear  to  the  women. 
They  believed,  as  many  do,  in  witches  and 
in  ghosts  without  knowing  anything  about 
them  except  what  they  hear  others  tell. 

Leng  Tso  was  not  well  acquainted  with 
this  method  of  reading.  She  had  not  learn- 
ed to  read  the  colloquial,  nor  did  she  feel 
anxious  to  do  so ; the  written  characters  she 
had  learned  at  a great  sacrifice  of  time  and 
strength,  and  to  have  so  easy  a method 
made  known  after  she  had  gained  her 
knowledge  by  the  difficult  one  was  to  make 
her  feel  less  favorable  to  the  new.  After 
she  was  able  to  read  she  began  to  go  about 
among  the  women  to  read  the  Bible  and 
teach  them  the  way  of  salvation.  At  first 
she  was  obliged  to  work  to  earn  her  own 
support ; but  when  she  found  her  son,  he 
and  her  brother  supported  her  almost  en- 
tirely, thus  allowing  her  to  give  most  of 
the  time  to  the  work  she  had  chosen. 


CHAPTER  II. 


IN  HA  BUN. 

TN  the  large  city  of  Ha  Bun  the  Bible- 
woman  had  an  only  brother  living  ; like 
herself,  he  was  a Christian.  When  yet  a 
young  man,  he  had  come  to  the  city  to  work 
at  his  trade,  that  of  a carpenter.  His  name 
was  Iau ; as  he  Avas  a carpenter,  he  was 
called  Iau  Sai,  or  “Iau  the  mechanic.”  Sai 
is  the  honorary  or  distinctive  name  of  any 
mechanic ; and  if  it  is  desired  to  honor  a 
common  workman,  Sai  is  added  to  his  name, 
much  as  Ave  in  common  language  call  a man 
“ boss.”  Iau  came  to  Ha  Bun  a poor  journey- 
man carpenter,  but  at  this  time  he  was  a mas- 
ter-builder, taking  large  contracts  for  building 
and  employing  many  men.  He  had  become 
a lumber-dealer  as  well  as  a contractor,  anti 
Avas  one  of  the  principal  business-men  in  his 
line  in  the  city.  Some  time  after  he  moved 
to  Ha  Bun  he  heard  the  gospel  from  the 

36 


IN  HA  BUN. 


37 


missionaries  and  became  a follower  of  tlie 
Saviour.  Iau  Sai  carried  Iris  religion  into 
bis  business  and  tried  to  be  all  the  better 
carpenter  because  lie  was  a Christian.  He 
was  not  the  man  to  endeavor  to  make  money 
or  to  gain  power  and  honor  from  his  religion, 
but  was  ready  to  share  with  his  faith  all 
that  he  gained.  He  honored  God  with  his 
substance  and  had  the  promise  made  true 
to  him,  “ Them  that  honor  me  I will  honor.” 

The  missionaries,  wishing  a dwelling 
built,  employed  Iau  to  do  it;  the  work  was 
done  so  well  that  other  foreigners  came  to 
examine  the  structure.  They  asked  who 
the  builder  was,  and  soon  Iau  Sai  had  other 
houses  to  build.  Doing  all  of  his  work  as 
well  as  he  could,  and  trying  to  please,  not 
only  his  employers,  but  God,  he  succeeded 
in  so  well  pleasing  those  for  whom  he  worked 
that  he  never  lacked  business. 

A certain  foreigner  who  cared  more  for 
himself  than  for  God  or  man  persuaded  Iau 
Sai  to  undertake  to  build  a house  for  him. 
The  building  was  to  be  completed  within  a 
certain  time,  the  shortest  possible.  Iau, 
contrary  to  the  advice  of  the  missionaries, 


38 


LENG  TSO. 


agreed  to  build  and  complete  tlie  house 
within  the  stipulated  time  or  forfeit  a large 
sum  of  money.  When  the  building  was 
partly  finished,  the  foreigner  said  that  it  was 
not  done  according  to  contract,  and  forced 
the  contractor  to  tear  down  and  rebuild. 
He  did  it,  protesting  that  he  was  keeping 
the  terms  of  the  contract,  but  knew  that, 
as  the  foreigner  was  a man  ot  influence  and 
without  much  principle,  it  would  be  useless 
to  refuse.  Being  a Christian,  Iau  could 
hope  for  little  justice,  much  less  sympathy, 
from  the  mandarins.  It  was  plain  that  he 
could  not  now  complete  the  building  at  the 
time  agreed  on.  The  foreigner  told  him 
that  the  forfeit  must  be  paid  if  the  house 
were  not  done  at  the  time  set,  and  said  that 
he  must  work  on  Sunday.  From  the  time 
he  became  a Christian,  Iau  had  refused  to 
work  on  the  Sabbath,  and,  though  he  had 
been  obliged  to  pay  his  men  for  seven  days 
each  week,  though  they  worked  only  six,  he 
had  steadily  refused  to  labor  or  to  allow 
those  in  his  employ  to  work  on  the  Lord  s 
day.  The  men  were  very  willing  to  rest  one 
day,  as  long  as  they  were  paid  for  it,  but 


IN  BA  BUN. 


39 


refused  to  be  idle  and  lose  a day’s  wages 
because  of  the  religion  of  their  employer. 
Iau  had  soon  found  that,  while  he  was 
ridiculed  by  many  for  paying  such  an  enor- 
mous price  for  his  religion — seven  days’ 
wages  for  six  days  of  work — he  was  the 
gainer  rather  than  the  loser  : his  men  after 
a while  did  more  work  in  six  days,  and 
better  work  too,  than  others  did  in  seven. 
His  religion  was  actually  beginning  to  pay. 

When  the  foreigner  told  him  to  work  on 
the  Sabbath  and  thus  save  the  forfeit-money, 
the  carpenter  quietly  said  that  he  would 
sooner  lose  all  that  money  than  break  God’s 
law.  The  house  was  not  done  when  the 
time  was  up,  and  Iau  was  forced  to  lose  his 
money.  The  foreigner  showed  him  no 
mercy.  He  afterward  complained  that  the 
Chinese  were  the  most  obstinate  people  he 
had  ever  met.  He  probably  reported,  too, 
after  he  had  reached  his  native  land,  that 
Chinese  converts  were  all  hypocrites. 

More  than  once  was  Iau  Sai  caught  in  his 
bargains  with  scheming  foreigners.  One  of 
these — a man  who  pretended  to  be  a Chris- 
tian and  attended  church  when  sober  enough 


40 


LENG  TSO. 


to  be  there — made  a bargain  with  Iau,  and 
then  deliberately  took  advantage  of  the 
Chinaman’s  honesty  and  ignorance  and 
cheated  him  out  of  more  than  a thousand 
dollars. 

Notwithstanding  such  misfortunes,  the 
builder  steadily  gained  wealth  and  influence, 
and  amid  all  lived  a faithful  Christian  life. 
As  wealth  came  more  and  more  rapidly  he 
was  more  and  more  liberal  in  giving  his 
money  for  the  good  of  others  and  for  the 
spread  of  the  truth.  If  a building  for  the 
mission  work  was  needed,  he  was  ready  to 
build  whether  there  was  money  to  pay  for  it 
or  not.  He  would  build  and  wait  for  the 
money ; and  if  it  was  not  paid,  he  would 
feel  that  it  was  given  to  the  Lord’s  cause 
and  would  not  complain.  Missionaries  are 
not  inclined  to  go  forward  with  their  work  in 
such  a way ; and  if  the  offers  of  the  liberal 
man  were  declined,  it  was  with  the  warm 
gratitude  of  men  who  believed  that  he  who 
made  the  offers  would  not  have  complained 
had  they  been  accepted  and  he  not  received 
a dollar  in  payment  for  his  work. 

Such  a man  was  Iau  Sai,  the  Christian 


IN  HA  BUN. 


41 


carpenter  of  the  city  of  Ha  Bun,  and  brother 
of  Leng  Tso,  the  Bible-woman.  To  his 
home  she  made  frequent  visits,  and  from 
his  purse  she  drew  not  a small  amount  of 
her  support  as  she  went  about  doing  good. 
In  his  home  she  met  Christian  women  of 
the  city,  and  with  them  had  many  a talk 
about  the  welfare  of  the  Church.  Those 
talks  were  not  always  the  wisest,  nor  did 
they  always  accomplish  great  good ; but 
great  movements  are  started  by  small  powers, 
and  by  a multitude  of  small  forces  are  they 
kept  in  motion. 

“ I think  it  is  time,’’  said  Leng  Tso  at  one 
of  these  gatherings  in  her  brother’s  home, 
“to  start  to  unbind  the  feet.  Mothers  may 
be  told  to  bring  up  their  daughters  with  feet 
unbound,  but  who  will  do  so  as  long  as  wo- 
men keep  their  feet  bound '?  If  people  teach, 
they  should  show  by  their  practice  that 
they  believe  the  teaching  to  be  good.” 

“ You  can  talk,”  replied  one  of  the 
women,  “ for  your  feet  were  never  bound  ; 
it  is  far  otherwise  with  us.  It  might  do  for 
the  younger  women  and  girls  to  unbind  their 
feet,  but  it  is  impossible  for  us  who  are  old. 


42 


LENG  TSO. 


It  is  easy  to  train  a young  and  growing  tree, 
but  the  old  banian  must  be  let  alone.” 

“ We  cannot  expect  the  younger  ones  to  do 
what  we  say  if  we  are  unwilling  to  try  it  our- 
selves,” said  the  Bible-woman.  “ The  old 
eagle  must  herself  fly  if  she  would  have 
her  young  try  their  wings.” 

“I  do  not  see  why  we  should  unbind  our 
feet,”  spoke  one  of  the  women  ; “it  is  an  old 
custom  that  has  come  to  us  from  our  ances- 
tors. Why  should  we  give  up  everything?” 
“We  are  not  to  give  up  everything,”  re- 
plied Leng  Tso,  “ but  those  things  only  that 
are  harmful  and  sinful.  This  is  both.  It 
harms  the  feet  by  deforming  them ; it  unfits 
women  to  do  the  work  God  has  for  them,  and 
thus  by  neglect  they  sin  against  him.  And, 
further,  it  is  rebelling  against  Him  who  made 
the  body ; it  is  saying  that  he  did  not  know 
what  is  the  best  shape  for  a woman’s  foot, 
and  that  we  can  improve  on  his  work.” 

“ Oh  yes,  it  is  easy  for  her  to  talk,”  spoke 
one,  in  an  undertone ; “ her  feet  have  never 
been  bound.  A fox — so  the  story  is  told — 
once  lost  his  tail,  and  then  called  all  the  foxes 
together  that  he  might  persuade  them  to  cut 


Small-footed  Girl.  Page  42. 


' 


IN  HA  BUN. 


43 


off  their  tails.  I,  for  one,  do  not  mean  to 
unbind  my  feet,  nor  to  unbind  the  feet  of 
my  girls  ; all  admit  that  small  feet  are  pretty, 
and  why  should  we  give  up  beauty  that  we 
already  possess?  If  others  do  not  wish  to 
bind  the  feet  of  their  daughters,  that  may 
be  well  ; but  let  alone  those  that  are  bound.” 
“ That  is  what  Ban  Chim  says,”  replied 
one  of  the  women.  “ Unless  we  unbind, 
others  will  not ; and  unless  we  do  it,  others 
will  bind  the  feet  of  their  daughters.  ■ Some 
one  must  start,  or  nothing  will  be  done.” 

“ Some  one  has  started,”  came  from  one  of 
the  women.  “ The  wife  of  one  of  the  pastors 
has  refused  to  bind  the  feet  of  her  little 
daughter.” 

“ What ! the  wife  of  Pastor  Lo  ?” 

“ No,  of  Pastor  Jap.  She  says  that  she 
will  never  compel  her  daughters  to  suffer 
what  she  has  passed  through,  no  matter 
how  homely  large  feet  may  appear.  When 
Jap  Sian  Si  Niu*  determines  to  do  a thing, 
she  does  it.” 

“ But  what  will  the  people  of  our  country 
say  about  our  girls  ? They  will  be  called 

* The  pastor’s  wife. 


44 


LENG  TSO. 


large-footed,  and  will  be  regarded  as  of  the 
lower  classes.  We  shall  not  be  able  to  get 
them  good  husbands,  and  must  marry  them 
to  poor  workingmen.” 

“Workingmen  become  rich  and  great 
sometimes,”  suggested  an  old  lady,  “ and 
rich  and  great  become  poor  and  miserable. 
Better  let  them  be  able  to  help  their  hus- 
bands rise  than  be  a burden  to  keep  the 
husbands  down.  A wife  who  hinders  rather 
than  helps  her  husband  deserves  to  be  mar- 
ried to  one  who  cannot  rise.” 

“ Cannot  we  do  something  to  begin  un- 
binding feet  ?”  asked  the  Bible-woman.  “ I 
have  large  feet,  and  my  advice  will  not  help 
much.  They  will  say  that  I want  all  to  be 
as  I am.  That  is  true,  but  not  true  for  the 
reason  they  may  give.  You  must  be  the 
ones  to  begin.  The  free  bird  knows  not  of 
the  evils  of  a cage.  If  those  who  are  im- 
prisoned will  not  escape  when  the  door  is 
open,  others  will  not  believe  that  the  cage  is 
an  evil.” 

“ It  is  true  as  Ban  Cliim  has  said,”  spoke 
one  of  the  older  women.  “ If  we  whose  feet 
are  bound  are  unwilling  to  unbind  them,  it 


IN  HA  BUN. 


45 


will  be  of  little  use  to  advise  parents  not  to 
bind  the  feet  of  their  daughters.  I am  will- 
ing, old  though  I am,  to  unbind  mine.  It 
is  what  I think  the  younger  women  should 
do.  We  older  ones  may  find  it  very  diffi- 
cult to  go  without  bandages,  after  having 
worn  them  for  perhaps  fifty  years.” 

“ I want  to  think  of  it  longer,”  responded 
one.  “ If  it  be  good  to  do,  it  is  wise  to  think 
about  it  first.  He  who  starts  out  on  a race 
without  thinking  is  the  one  who  is  liable 
to  stop  before  it  is  won.” 

“ I agree  with  Ban  Tun,”  said  one  of  the 
younger  women.  “ We  may  remove  the  ban- 
dages speedily  and  mourn  over  our  hasty  act 
all  the  rest  of  our  lives.” 

The  women  were  talking  about  the  matter 
and  talk  meant  thought ; so  the  Bible-woman 
was  content  to  let  time  and  the  teachings  of 
the  missionaries  and  native  preachers  carry 
on  the  work. 

She  had  heard  the  remark  about  the  fox 
who  had  lost  his  tail.  She  could  see  no 
beauty  or  excellency  in  deformed  feet ; on 
the  contrary,  she  knew  how  much  better  able 
she  was  with  her  unbound  feet  to  go  about 


46 


LENG  TSO. 


and  work.  But  not  use  so  much  as  custom 
influenced  the  women  about  her.  For  cen- 
turies it  had  been  the  custom ; that  wTas  a 
powerful  argument  for  continuing  it.  Bind- 
ing the  feet  is  an  ancient  Chinese  practice, 
and  was  in  existence  many  centuries  before 
China  was  conquered  by  the  Mantchu  Tartars. 
Because  a Chinese  and  not  a Tartar  custom, 
some  of  the  people  regard  it  with  the  more 
favor.  The  Tartars  do  not  bind  the  feet ; 
indeed,  the  conquerors  of  China  are  opposed 
to  small  feet,  and  try  to  influence  the  people 
to  give  up  the  habit.  On  the  contrary,  the 
present  method  of  wearing  the  hair  in  a cue 
or  braid  hanging  down  the  back  is  a Tartar 
custom,  and  was  made  compulsory  when 
China  was  conquered  by  its  present  rulers. 

It  is  probably  nearly  a thousand  years  since 
the  practice  of  feet-binding  was  introduced. 
How  it  came  about  is  uncertain.  Several 
causes  are  given  by  the  people  themselves 
for  this  cruel  practice.  The  one  most 
commonly  told  is  that  about  a thousand 
years  ago  a woman  of  the  imperial  palace — a 
favorite  of  the  emperor,  but  not  the  queen — 
began  binding  her  feet  to  add  to  her  supposed 


IN  HA  BUN. 


47 


beauty.  In  time  slie  was  imitated  by  others, 
and  gradually  the  rule  became  general. 
Others  who  trace  the  custom  back  much 
farther  say  that  between  two  and  three  thou- 
sand years  ago  there  was  an  empress,  Tak-ki 
by  name,  who  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  have 
club-feet.  She  was  a proud  woman  and 
ashamed  of  her  deformity  ; to  hide  it  she 
compelled  her  husband,  the  emperor,  to 
order  all  the  ladies  of  the  palace  to  have 
their  feet  bandaged.  All  the  women  were  in- 
duced after  a time  to  imitate  the  ladies  of  the 
palace.  The  men,  however,  like  to  tell  the 
story  that  in  early  times  the  women  of  China 
were  fearful  gossips  and  constantly  going 
about  to  visit  and  talk  to  their  neighbors. 
To  stop  this  the  husbands  were  forced  to 
bind  their  wives’  feet,  and  so  compel  them  to 
remain  at  home.  If  this  be  the  true  reason, 
it  may  be  added  that  the  expedient  was  not 
successful. 

A cloth  bandage  is  bound  so  tightly  about 
the  feet  of  the  child  that  the  growth  is 
stopped,  the  bones  are  cramped  and  the 
shape  is  changed.  The  time  to  begin  va- 
ries. Some  parents  commence  when  the  girls 


48 


LENG  TSO. 


are  mere  infants ; others  begin  at  the  age  of 
two ; still  others  wait  until  the  child  is 
several  years  old,  and  often  the  girl  may  he 
nearly  grown  before  the  bandages  are  applied. 
Some  girls,  it  is  said,  whose  parents  had 
neglected  to  bind  their  feet  for  various  reasons, 

o 

begged  to  have  them  bound  as  they  grew  up 
toward  womanhood.  The  reason  of  this  is 
not  far  to  seek.  Women  in  China  are  not 
unlike  their  sisters  in  other  countries.  They 
wish  not  only  to  follow  the  fashions,  but  to 
appear  beautiful,  refined  and  ot  good  family. 
Small  feet  are  the  sign  of  gentility  and 
good  breeding.  Nowhere  more  than  in 
China  is  it  regarded  as  a desirable  accom- 
plishment for  a woman  to  be  able  to  force 
a No.  3 foot  into  a No.  1 shoe. 

Leaving  out  of  consideration  the  wisdom 
of  having  small  feet,  it  is  not  strange  that 
the  women  of  China  cling  to  this  custom. 
What  woman  is  willing  to  advertise  herself 
as  of  questionable  character  or  family  ? It 
through  suffering  and  privation  she  can  be 
regarded  as  wealthy  and  refined,  is  it  strange 
that  she  is  willing  to  undergo  the  pain  and 
privation?  If  once  there  be  a number  of 


IN  HA  BUN. 


49 


the  better  class  of  women  in  any  place  in 
China  who  have  large  feet,  then  to  do  away 
with  the  bandages  will  be  comparatively 
easy.  Until  that  time  comes  it  will  require 
no  little  resolution  to  refuse  to  follow  this 
cruel  custom.  We  may  decry  and  ridicule 
it,  but  we  cannot  easily  understand  what  a 
woman  risks  when  she  takes  off  the  bandages 
from  her  feet.  It  may  be  said  here  that  the 
bandages  are  never  permanently  removed 
after  the  feet  have  once  been  bound. 

The  Bible-woman  was  anxious  to  learn  all 
she  could,  in  order  to  teach  others.  While 
she  felt  that  her  work  was  outside  of  rather 
than  within  the  city,  she  was  ready  to  do  what 
she  could  there  also.  In  a quiet  way  she 
used  her  influence,  but  at  no  place  did  she 
more  delight  to  be  than  at  the  class  of  Mrs. 
Minturn. 

Mrs.  Minturn  was  the  wife  of  a mission- 
ary, and  was  herself  a born  missionary. 
Gentle,  quiet,  firm  and  decided,  she  was  a 
woman  who  could  control  others  without 
seeming  to  exercise  any  authority.  Not 
specially  gifted  nor  attractive,  she  won 
friends  slowly,  but  held  all  whom  she  won, 

4 


50 


LENG  TSO. 


whether  natives  or  foreigners.  Those  who 
best  knew  most  respected  the  quiet,  cheerful, 
kind-hearted  woman.  Mrs.  Minturn  seldom 
spoke  of  what  she  did,  and  to  learn  her 
failures  or  her  successes  one  must  ask  others 
than  herself.  In  this  lay  one  of  her  greatest 
faults.  She  forgot  that  she  was  a mission- 
ary not  only  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but 
of  his  Church,  and  that  his  people  wished  to 
know  what  their  representative  was  doing 
and  what  success  attended  their  gifts  and 
prayers. 

Mrs.  Minturn  had  gathered  a class  of 
women,  nearly  all  of  them  married,  whom 
she  had  taught  to  read  the  Romanized  collo- 
quial. She  met  this  class  each  week  to  teach 
them  not  only  to  read  and  study  the  word  of 
God,  but  to  put  into  practice  what  they 
learned ; in  a sentence,  to  become  good 
Christian  wives  and  mothers.  When  able 
to  be  in  the  city,  the  Bible-wToman  was  found 
at  this  class  ; here  she  could  ask  all  the  ques- 
tions she  chose,  and  have  most  of  them 
satisfactorily  answered.  Nor  was  she  afraid 
to  express  an  opinion.  Occasionally  the 
questions  led  to  discussions  and  brought  out 


IN  HA  BUN. 


51 


from  the  lips  of  the  teacher  lessons  that 
might  otherwise  not  have  been  given. 

“ Do  you  think,  teacher,”  asked  the  Bible- 
woman,  one  day,  “that  the  women  of  the 
Bible,  such  as  Sarah,  Bebekah,  Rachel  and 
Miriam,  bound  their  feet?” 

“ ‘ Bound  their  feet  ’ !”  said  the  teacher, 
in  surprise.  “ I never  thought  of  it.  No  ; 
they  probably  left  their  feet  as  God  made 
them.” 

“Then,  if  the  mothers  in  Israel  did  not 
bind  their  feet,  why  should  the  grand- 
daughters ? If  the  women  of  old  did  not 
think  it  right  or  wise  to  bandage  and  to  tor- 
ture the  feet  of  their  daughters,  why  should 
the  women  of  the  Church  now  bandage  their 
daughters’  feet  ?” 

The  women  of  the  class  at  once  saw  what 
the  Bible-woinan  meant  by  the  question,  and 
they  eagerly  waited  for  the  reply.  It  was  no 
secret  to  the  Chinese  that  the  missionaries 
were  opposed  to  binding  feet,  though  they 
did  not  often  speak  about  it. 

“ It  is  not  always  safe  to  follow  the  ex- 
ample of  those  wrho  lived  in  Bible  times,” 
answered  Mrs.  Minturn.  “ God  had  not 


52 


L ENG  TSO. 


so  fully  made  known  his  will  to  them  as  he  has 
to  us,  and  they  were  more  liable  to  go  astray 
for  lack  of  knowledge  than  are  people  who 
have  the  whole  Bible.  Sarah,  Rebekah  and 
others  did  not  always  do  right.  Sarah  did 
not  believe  what  the  angel  said,  nor  did  she 
treat  Hagar  kindly  ; Rebekah  taught  her  son 
Jacob  to  deceive  his  father  and  cheat  his 
brother ; Rachel  stole  the  images  of  her  fa- 
ther, and  then  told  an  untruth  about  them  ; 
so  you  see  that  in  everything  they  are  not 
safe  guides  for  us  to  follow.  But  God  has 
given  us  a better  guide  than  such  people 
could  be  : he  has  given  his  laws  and  the 
teaching  of  his  holy  book.  If  we  follow 
that  book,  we  can  never  go  wrong.” 

“ Teacher,”  asked  a woman,  “ where  does 
it  say  in  the  Bible  that  we  must  not  bind  our 
feet  ?”  The  look  that  followed  this  question 
showed  that  the  women  felt  that  for  once 
they  had  an  answer  for  the  teacher  and 
the  Bible- woman. 

“ Where  in  the  Bible  are  we  told  that  we 
must  not  put  bandages  on  our  eyes,  and  so 
prevent  our  seeing  ?”  asked  the  teacher.  “Yet 
who  feels  the  need  of  such  a command  ? AVe 


IN  HA  BUN. 


53 


must  not  expect  God  to  treat  us  as  little 
children  who  know  nothing  at  all.  He  has 
given  us  judgment  and  sense,  and  expects 
us  to  use  both  as  wise  children,  and  not  as 
babes.  If  it  be  not  wise  to  bind  our  eyes 
and  thus  to  compel  ourselves  to  walk  in  the 
dark,  is  there  wisdom  in  binding  the  feet 
and  thus  preventing  their  use?  If  one 
member  of  the  body  is  to  be  left  unhindered  to 
do.  the  work  for  which  it  was  created,  why  not 
another  member  ? Instead  of  asking  where 
in  the  Bible  we  are  told  not  to  bind  the  feet, 
let  me  ask  where  the  Bible  commands  that 
they  be  bound  ?” 

The  look  of  Leng  Tso  given  to  the  others 
seemed  to  say,  “ Now  you  have  more  of  an 
answer  than  you  expected.”  She,  however, 
was  silent.  One  of  the  women  asked, 

“ Teacher,  does  the  Bible  mean  that  we 
are  to  give  up  our  customs  that  have  been 
established  for  many  generations  ? If  so, 
it  will  make  a great  deal  of  trouble.” 

“ Our  Saviour  said  that  his  coming  would 
make  a great  deal  of  trouble,  and  so  it  has1- 
proved.  It  always  causes  trouble  to  break 
off  old  and  evil  habits  and  customs.  But 


54 


LENG  TSO. 


the  Bible  does  not  teach  us  to  give  up  any 
customs  that  are  harmless.  It  would  not 
forbid  our  eating  with  chopsticks  nor  dress- 
ing as  you  do,  because  such  things  harm  no- 
body ; but  binding  the  feet  does  harm  those 
whose  feet  are  bound.  It  causes  no  little 
pain,  and  it  unfits  women  for  active  work  > 
and,  besides,  it  weakens  and  deforms  the 
body  that  God  made  to  be  beautiful.” 
“Cannot  we  live  as  good,  faithful  Chris- 
tians with  our  feet  bound,”  asked  one,  “ as 
we  could  if  we  had  large  feet?” 

“ To  be  a good,  faithful,  active  disciple  of 
Jesus,”  answered  Mrs.  Minturn,  “ one  must  be 
a happy  one  and  as  free  as  possible  from  all 
hindrances  in  the  Lord’s  work.  Do  bound 
feet  aid  in  making  you  happy  ? Do  they 
not  cause  much  pain  and  sorrow?  Besides, 
do  not  they  prevent  your  doing  much  that 
you  might  otherwise  do  ?” 

“ They  may  cause  pain  of  body,”  was  an- 
swered, “ but  they  do  not  cause  pain  of 
spirit,  as  large  feet  would.  We  are  not 
ashamed  to  have  our  feet  seen  ; no  one  will 
think  us  large-footed  women,  but  all  will 
suppose  us  to  be  of  the  better  class.  So  they 


IN  HA  BUN. 


55 


will  think  of  our  daughters  if  their  feet  are 
bound.  It  is  to  prevent  shame  that  we  bind 
our  feet.” 

“ Yes,  shame  because  of  a useless  and 
foolish  custom,”  rejoined  the  Bible- woman. 
“ But  change  the  custom,  and  then  no  one 
will  have  cause  for  shame.  Let  all  be  as  God 
made  them,  and  all  will  feel  equally  pleased.” 
“ How  can  such  a change  be  accomplish- 
ed ?”  was  asked.  “ If  but  a few  of  us  change, 
we  shall  only  be  ridiculed.  We  cannot  com- 
pel others  to  do  as  we  wish.” 

“ You  may  not  bring  about  a change  at 
once,”  said  Mrs.  Minturn,  “ but  in  time  the 
change  would  come.  All  great  and  good 
works  started  from  small  beginnings.  It 
was  only  after  a few  had  given  themselves 
to  the  work  that  any  progress  was  made.” 
“ Oh,  women  cannot  make  the  change 
in  the  Middle  Kingdom,”  was  answered. 
“Women  can  do  nothing  unless  all  try,  and 
others  will  not.” 

“ When  they  try  with  God’s  help  and 
because  it  is  right,  even  in  the  Middle  King- 
dom women  can  do  great  things,”  said  the 
teacher. 


56 


LENG  TSO. 


“If  I thought  it  would  do  any  good,”  said 
Mrs.  Lee,  “ I would  unbind  my  feet.” 

“ If  a small  company  should  agree  and 
begin,”  said  the  Bible-woman,  “ they  might 
do  a great  deal.  Did  not  Gideon  with  only 
three  hundred  men  put  to  flight  the  Midian- 
ites  ? If  such  a little  company  could  do  so 
great  things,  what  could  not  a large  number 
of  women  do?” 

“ But  we  are  not  one-tenth  as  large  a 
number  here  as  Gideon’s  army,”  replied 
one  of  the  women.  “ We  are  only  women. 
If  the  men  would  begin,  we  could  follow.” 
“The  men  have  begun,”  said  Mrs.  Min- 
turn.  “ There  are  not  a few  men  who  will 
do  all  they  can  to  stop  the  custom  of  bind- 
ing the  feet.  You  know  that  all  the  mis- 
sionaries wish  to  see  the  custom  given  up  ” 
“ Why  must  we  give  up  everything  ?” 
murmured  a woman,  softly. 

“ If  feet-binding  be  wrong,”  spoke  Mrs. 
Lee,  “ then  it  is  our  duty  to  give  it  up,  no 
matter  what  the  cost  be.  We  must  give  up 
everything  for  Christ’s  sake  if  it  be  his  will. 
If  Jesus  could  give  his  life  for  us,  we  should 
at  least  give  up  feet-binding  for  him.” 


IN  HA  BUN. 


57 


Thus  did  discussions  between  the  women 
regarding  this  custom  cause  them  to  think. 
But,  like  every  reform,  the  effort  to  change 
the  custom  moved  slowly.  Nor  did  the 
missionaries  try  to  force  the  matter ; they 
knew  that  in  the  end  a forced  change  would 
not  be  so  sure  nor  so  rapid  as  one  begun 
from  conviction.  The  people  needed  to  talk 
and  think  for  a long  time ; and  if  there  be  a. 
country  where  reforms  move  slowly,  it  is 
China.  But  the  reform  that  once  takes  hold 
of  that  people  will  be  a permanent  and  a 
complete  one.  The  Chinese  think  and  act 
slowly,  but  they  move  effectually.  If,  as  a 
nation  and  as  individuals,  they  were  free  to 
think  and  to  act  out  their  thoughts,  we 
should  see  far  more  of  the  results  of  Chinese 
thought;  nor  would  the  results  be  to  the  dis- 
credit of  the  people.  Let  the  gospel  gain 
control  of  that  nation,  let  the  Chinese 
become  a thoroughly  Christian  people,  and 
there  will  be  no  backward  movement.  They 
will  never  yield  their  convictions  to  the 
demands  of  a few  noisy  skeptics. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 

“ T HEAR  that  a new  missionary  and  his 

A wife  are  coining  to  preach  the  doctrine 
with  Pastor  Wagner,”  said  Iau  Sai  to  his  sis- 
ter one  day  as  she  was  visiting  at  his  home. 

“ So  Pastor  Wagner  is  coming  back,  is 
he?”  was  her  reply.  “ But  is  he  to  bring  a 
wife  with  him?” 

“ I have  not  heard,”  answered  her  brother ; 
“ the  foreign  pastors  say  little  about  that.  I 
wish  lie  would  bring  a wife,  as  he  seems  so 
lonely.” 

“ Do  you  think  that  he  is  too  poor  to  buy 
a wife  ?”  asked  the  Bible- woman.  “ I thought 
that  all  foreigners  were  rich  and  had  all  the 
money  they  wished.”  Then,  correcting  her- 
self, she  added,  “ That  is,  had  all  the  money 
we  would  wish.  If  they  had  all  they  wish, 
they  would  not  come  here  to  earn  more.” 

68 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


59 


“ The  foreign  pastors  do  not  come  here  to 
earn  money,”  said  Iau  Sai,  “ but  to  teach  the 
people  of  a Saviour.” 

“ I did  not  mean  them,  but  other  foreign- 
ers,” was  the  reply.  “ Do  you  think  that 
teacher  Wagner  could  not  get  a wife  in  his 
own  country?  Nearly  every  other  pastor 
brings  one  with  him?” 

“ Get  one  ? Why,  he  could  get  a hundred 
if  he  wanted  them,”  spoke  Iau  Sai’s  son. 
“ He  doesn’t  want  a wife.  But,  aunt,  men 
do  not  buy  wives  in  the  foreign  countries. 
Nor  do  the  fathers  and  mothers  get  wives 
for  them  ; each  selects  his  own,  and  yet  some 
make  mistakes.  Women  are  more  plenty 
and  far  more  cheap  there  than  here.  Why, 
a wife  does  not  cost  a dollar  there.  People 
give  their  girls  away — that  is,  parents  do 
after  they  are  grown  up.” 

“ Give  them  away  after  they  are  grown 
up  ?”  said  Leng  Tso,  in  surprise.  “ How 
strange ! And  yet  most  of  the  foreigners 
seem  to  think  more  of  their  wives  than  if 
they  had  cost  a hundred  dollars.  But 
foreigners  are  strange  people.  I sometimes 
see  not  only  the  foreign  pastors,  but  the 


60 


LENG  TSO. 


other  foreigners,  walking  out  with  their 
wives  just  as  though  they  were  men.  Yes, 
and  much  of  the  time  the  wives  hold  to 
their  husbands’  arms,  as  if  they  were 
their  equals.” 

“ That  is  what  they  believe,”  replied  Iau 
Sai.  “ They  think  that  a woman  is  as  good 
as  a man.” 

“Yes,  and  will  you  believe  it?”  said  a 
woman  who  was  present.  “ The  foreigners 
always  at  table  tell  the  servants  to  wait  on 
the  women  first.  They  are  a strange  people  ; 
I sometimes  wish  that  I had  been  born  a 
foreigner.” 

“ So  do  I,”  spoke  Leng  Tso  ; “ and  yet  we 
know  that  the  Middle  Kingdom  has  very 
many  things  that  foreign  people  do  not 
have.” 

“ They  have  what  we  did  not  have,” 
answered  Iau  Sai,  “ and  that  they  have 
brought  to  us — the  gospel.  That  is  worth 
more  to  us  than  all  we  have  got.  I only 
wish  that  more  would  come  to  teach  it  to 
our  people.  I am  very  glad  to  know  that 
Pastor  Wagner  is  coming  back,  and  that  he 
is  bringing  another  teacher  and  wife  with 


THE  NEW  SEMINAR  Y. 


61 


him.  But  what  we  need  is  more  of  our  own 
people  to  preach  the  gospel  to  our  country- 
men.” 

“ Who  will  preach  it  ?”  asked  the  Bible- 
woman.  “ There  are  very  few  able  to 
preach  who  are  not  now  preaching.  We 
need  more  men  to  go  out  into  the  country 
and  tell  the  doctrine  there,  but  where  are 
the  men  ?” 

“ Pastor  Minturn  told  us  a few  weeks  ago,” 
said  Mrs.  Iau  Sai,  “ that  we  should  educate 
our  children  to  become  preachers.  He  said 
that  it  was  not  by  foreigners,  but  by  our  own 
people,  that  our  country  is  to  learn  about 
the  doctrine.” 

“Yes,  and  he  told  the  students  a few  days 
ago,”  added  Iau  Sai’s  son,  “ that  some  day 
they  hoped  to  have  a large  school  for  train- 
ing young  men  to  preach.” 

“‘A  large  school’?”  inquired  the  Bible- 
wornan.  “ Where  will  it  be  ? and  when  will 
it  be  begun  ? Will  it  be  for  teaching  women 
to  go  out  and  tell  the  doctrine  ?” 

“ No,  ” replied  the  youth,  “ but  for  men 
only.  I have  heard  that  the  foreign  pastors 
are  thinking  of  a girls’  school  too  some  time, 


62 


LEND  TSO. 


but  not  yet.  Pastor  Minturn  said  that  his 
home  Church  had  not  money  for  both.” 

“ When  are  the  new  pastor  and  his  wife 
coming  ?”  asked  the  Bible-woman. 

“ They  may  be  here  at  any  time,”  was  the 
answer.  “ They  are  in  the  South  now,  and 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  come  North.” 

A few  days  later  the  expected  party  ar- 
rived, and  was  welcomed  by  Chinese  Chris- 
tians as  well  as  by  foreigners.  There  was  a 
vast  deal  of  talk  about  the  new  missionaries. 

“ Why,”  said  one,  “ they  are  only  chil- 
dren yet.  Are  all  the  men  and  women  in 
their  country  unwilling  to  come,  that  such 
young  people  as  these  are  sent?  What  can 
they  do  ? Who  will  listen  to  a preacher  who 
is  so  young  as  he?” 

“ They  act  like  children,  too,”  added  an- 
other ; “ they  both  laughed  and  talked  as  if 
they  were  only  a boy  and  a girl.  Why  does 
not  he  have  whiskers,  as  the  other  foreigners 
have  ?” 

“ He  is  too  young,”  answered  another.  “ I 
think  that  they  have  been  sent  out  so  young 
that  they  may  learn  with  the  wise  men  here 
how  to  preach  and  teach  the  doctrine.” 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


63 


“ Did  you  see  that  she  has  black  eyes,  as 
we  have  ?”  spoke  a woman.  “ And  her  face 
is  pretty,  too.” 

“ She  may  be  pretty,  but  her  husband  is 
not,”  said  one  who  had  listened.  “ He  seems 
different  from  the  other  foreign  pastors : he 
has  not  a broad,  high  forehead,  as  they  have, 
nor  does  he  seem  to  be  learned  or  wise.  I 
think  that  the  Church  in  their  country  sent 
all  its  best  and  wisest  men  first,  and  now  has 
sent  some  of  its  poorer  ones.” 

“ I am  afraid  that  this  man  will  not  prove 
so  good  as  the  others,”  spoke  an  old  woman, 
sorrowfully  ; “ but  we  must  not  expect  such 
men  in  every  teacher  as  we  have  in  those  who 
came  first.  Why  should  not  the  Church  at 
the  home  of  these  men  send  out  its  best  first, 
to  start  the  work,  and,  since  it  is  prosperous, 
send  out  the  men  who  are  not  so  wise  ? They 
must  do  something  with  the  men  who  know 
but  little,  yet  wish  to  do  what  good  they 
can.” 

The  discussion  was  repeated  whenever  sev- 
eral persons  met,  and  usually  to  the  disadvan- 
tage of  the  young  missionary  rather  than  of 
his  wife.  Fortunately,  he  did  not  for  a while 


64 


LF.NG  TSO. 


understand  the  speakers’  words,  or  he  might 
have  been  discouraged.  When  he  became 
able  to  comprehend  their  remarks,  he  had 
learned  as  well  to  discount  himself ; and,  as  for 
his  good  looks,  he  had  several  times  gazed  at 
himself  in  the  glass  before  China  was  reached, 
and  never  was  able  to  convince  himself  that 
Nature  had  done  much  for  him  in  the  way  of 
beauty.  He  enjoyed  as  much  as  any  one  the 
remarks  regarding  himself  when  he  passed 
along  the  streets  later  and  heard  the  opin- 
ions of  a few  regarding  what  Nature  had  done 
for  him  in  the  way  of  beauty. 

With  the  arrival  of  new  missionaries,  the 
question  of  a theological  seminary  was  seri- 
ously discussed  in  the  mission.  For  years 
there  had  been  a room  set  apart  in  an  old 
mission-house  for  a schoolroom,  and  in  this 
were  taught  the  half  dozen  students  prepar- 
ing for  the  ministry.  But  the  place  was  un- 
fit for  the  work  : it  was  in  the  crowded  city 
and  far  away  from  the  homes  of  the  mission- 
aries, and,  besides,  had  other  disadvantages 
better  appreciated  by  those  who  must  meet 
them  than  by  those  who  may  hear  about  them. 

“ Why  do  not  the  pastors  build  a new  house 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


65 


for  a school  ?”  was  asked  by  the  Chinese 
Christians.  “ Has  not  the  Church  in  their 
country  enough  money?  Did  not  teacher 
Wagner  bring  money  with  him?” 

“ ‘ Money  with  him’ !”  replied  Iau  Sai  one 
day.  “ No ; they  have  no  money  to  spare — 
that  is,  the  society  that  sends  out  the  pastors. 
Pastor  Wagner  told  me  that  the  Church  in 
his  country  is  poor.  For  a time  it  was  uncer- 
tain whether  or  not  he  could  be  sent  back.” 
“ How,  then,  could  the  Church  send  out 
another  with  his  wife?”  was  asked.  “ Pastor 
Wagner  is  worth  two  new  men,  and  more  if 
they  are  like  the  one  who  came  with  him. 
But  his  wife  is  a wise  woman ; that  may  be 
the  reason  why  he  was  sent.” 

“ No ; I heard  that  the  new  man  was  not 
sent  out  by  the  society,  but  by  some  of  his 
friends,”  spoke  a listener. 

“ Perhaps  they  wanted  him  to  go  some- 
where, and  thought,  with  such  pastors  as  had 
been  sent  here,  he  might  do,”  suggested  one. 

“ Oh,  you  must  not  think  that  he  does  not 
know  anything,”  replied  Iau  Sai.  “He  is 
learning  our  language  rapidly.  When  he 
came,  he  at  once  began  to  study  how  to 


66 


LEN6  TSO. 


speak ; and  how  do  you  suppose  he  began  ? 
He  asked  how  to  ask,  ‘ What  do  you  call 
this  ?’  and  how  to  say,  ‘ I do  not  know.’ 
With  those  two  sentences  he  started  out  to 
learn  the  language  of  any  whom  he  might 
meet.  He  is  not  a man  who  studies  books 
very  much,  but  he  studies  people  and  every- 
thing he  sees.” 

“ He  always  speaks  to  us  when  he  meets 
us,”  suggested  one,  kindly,  as  if  to  say  some- 
thing in  favor  of  the  stranger,  “ but  we  are 
not  always  sure  what  he  means.  He  says 
things  so  differently  from  the  way  we  speak 
that  we  cannot  understand.” 

“ He  is  only  learning,  remember,  and  will 
speak  better  by  and  by,”  spoke  Iau  Sai. 

“ I heard  one  of  the  chair-bearers  who  took 
his  wife  out  for  a ride — the  one  walking  along- 
side the  chair — tell  the  others  the  other  day 
that  when  they  were  on  the  road  the  new 
preacher  told  him  to  pray.  He  said,  ‘ Come, 
now  we  will  pray.’  The  cliair-bearers  did 
not  worship  God,  so  they  did  not  want  to 
pray ; they  had  been  hired  only  to  carry  the 
chair.  When  they  would  not  pray,  then  he 
told  them  that  they  would  go  home.  The 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


67 


chair-bearer  said  he  would  have  waited 
to  let  the  teacher  pray  if  he  wanted  to,  but 
would  not  himself  pray.” 

“ Oh,”  said  Iau  Sai,  “ the  teacher  told 
them,  ‘Now  we  will  pray,’*  when  he  meant  to 
say,  ‘ Now  we  will  go  home.’  f He  probably 
turned  the  word  around,  that  is  all.  He 
would  not  ask  chair-bearers  to  pray  on  the 
road,  especially  if  they  were  not  Christians.” 
“ Will  the  pastors  build  the  new  school, 
do  you  think?”  asked  the  Bible-woman. 
“ It  is  needed,  especially  if  we  are  to  have 
more  students ; Mrs.  Minturn  said  the  other 
day  that  she  hoped  more  would  soon  deter- 
mine to  give  themselves  to  this  work.” 

“ I do  not  know,”  answered  Iau  Sai,  “ but 
I know  that  they  wish  very  much  to  build  a 
good  large  school  for  the  preaching  students. 
I offered  to  build  one  and  take  my  money 
when  the  Church  at  the  home  of  the  pastors 
could  pay,  but  none  would  allow  me.  I told 
them  that  the  Lord  would  take  care  of  those 
who  care  for  his  cause.” 

“ So  he  will,”  responded  Leng  Tso, 
warmly.  “ He  has  taken  care  of  you, 

* Ki-to.  f To-khi. 


68 


LENG  TSO. 


brother,  and  he  says  that  he  will  never  leave 
nor  forsake  you.” 

“ I know  he  will  not,”  spoke  Iau  Sai ; 
“but  the  pastors  say  that  the  Lord  hath 
given  us  wisdom  and  judgment,  and  these 
are  to  be  used  as  well  as  faith.  We  might 
go  on  and  build  schools  and  chapels  every- 
where through  the  Middle  Kingdom  because 
they  are  needed,  and  then  say  that  we  will 
trust  the  Lord  to  pay  for  them.  But  the  men 
to  teach  and  preach  in  them  are  not  here ; 
the  Lord  has  not  yet  sent  them,  and  we  must 
wait  until  he  does.” 

“ But  he  has  sent  the  students,”  said  Leng 
Tso ; “ they  are  here.  Why  not  build  a 
school  for  them  ?” 

“Ah!”  said  the  carpenter;  “that  is  what 
I asked  Pastor  Minturn,  but  he  told  me  that 
he  and  the  other  pastors  are  the  servants  of 
the  Church  in  their  country,  and  they  can- 
not do  what  the  Church  will  not  permit.” 

“ Will  it  not  permit  them  to  build  the 
school  ?”  asked  one. 

“ It  will  not  send  the  money,”  was  the 
reply ; “ so  they  cannot  build.  We  must 
wait  patiently  and  pray  the  Lord  to  send 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


69 


the  money,  Pastor  Minturn  said.  I wish 
that  they  would  let  me  build  the  school ; it 
would  soon  be  ready.  What  if  I do  not  get 
the  money  ? I am  no  longer  poor  ; I can 
afford  to  lose  it  for  the  Lord’s  cause.  I 
have  lost  money  in  working  for  those  who 
are  not  the  Lord’s  people ; why  should  I 
fear  to  work  for  him  and  his  cause?” 

“ Did  you  tell  Pastor  Minturn  that  ?” 
asked  Mrs.  Iau  Sai. 

“Yes,”  said  he,  “but  he  told  me  that  after 
a while  the  Church  would  need  for  other 
things  all  the  help  and  money  I can  give.” 

Not  more  anxiously  was  the  question  of  a 
new  theological  seminary  discussed  by  the 
Chinese  Christians  than  it  was  by  the 
missionaries.  Many  a time  did  the  little 
band  stand  in  the  door  of  the  mission  home 
and,  looking  toward  the  spot  chosen  for  the 
future  school,  try  to  plan  ways  and  means 
for  building.  Letters  urgent  and  earnest 
were  sent  to  the  home  Church  pleading  for 
the  money,  but  in  vain.  There  was  a debt 
on  the  mission  society,  and  not  a dollar 
beyond  the  appropriation  could  be  given 
to  the  mission.  When  these  tidings  came, 


70 


LENG  TSO. 


the  missionaries  were  desponding,  but  not 
despairing.  They  had  not  forgotten  to  place 
the  matter  at  the  mercy-seat  as  well  as 
before  the  home  Church,  but  prayer  was 
more  importunate  now  that  human  help  had 
failed. 

The  newly-arrived  missionary  had  been 
entrusted  with  the  correspondence  of  the 
mission  with  the  home  society.  After  visit- 
ing the  fields  and  as  well  as  he  could  taking 
a survey  of  all  the  work  before  them,  he 
wrote  a full  sketch  to  the  home  Church 
and  boldly  appealed  for  help  and  not  a little 
addition  to  the  money  already  appropriated. 
Not  content  with  that,  the  young  man  wrote 
letters  to  pastors  of  a number  of  churches 
telling  the  needs  of  the  work.  The  letter  to 
the  mission  society  was  published  without 
comment.  A reply  was  sent  to  it  by  the 
secretary,  saying  kindly  but  decidedly,  “ Not 
one  dollar  beyond  your  appropriation.” 

The  reception  of  that  letter  did  not  mark 
a season  of  tears — for  these  missionaries 
were  not  of  the  kind  that  stopped  to  weep 
if  they  could  do  something  better — but  it 
did  mark  a season  of  prayer.  That  season 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


71 


was  not  a short  one.  When  they  had 
prayed  over  the  matter  until  they  were 
drawn  near  the  Lord  and  nearer  to  their 
work  than  ever,  they  began  to  think  if  they 
could  not  do  something  more  themselves. 

“ We  must  have  that  building,”  said  Mr. 
Minturn.  “ The  Church  will  see  the  necessity 
of  it  some  day  and  send  the  money,  but  we 
cannot  wait.  We  are  losing  time,  and  we  are 
losing  men  too.  We  must  have  a place  not 
only  suitable,  but  large  enough  for  more  men.” 

“But  what  can  we  do?”  inquired  Mr. 
Wagner.  “The  Church  will  not  send  the 
money ; we  have  none  in  the  mission  to 
spare.  Every  dollar  will  be  needed,  and 
more  too,  before  the  year  ends,  and  I see 
nothing  but  simply  waiting  the  action  of 
the  Church.” 

“ I have  some  money,”  said  Mr.  Minturn, 
“ that  the  foreigners  gave  me  some  years  ago 
for  the  work  I did ; it  has  been  kept  for  my 
invalid  child  when  it  becomes  older  and 
needs  it  more.  I am  willing  to  advance 
that.” 

“ But,  Mr.  Minturn,  what  if  the  Church 
never  sees  fit  to  repay  ?”  suggested  Mr. 


72 


LENG  TSO. 


Wagner.  “ Your  child  will  need  the  money 
some  day  ; is  it  right  to  risk  its  interests  for 
the  sake  of  the  Church  ?” 

“ My  child  will  not  suffer,”  was  the  quiet 
response.  “ This  will  only  be  lent  to  the 
Lord,  and  in  due  time  he  will  repay  it.  I 
can  trust  him,  and  I believe  that  I can  trust 
the  Church  too.  I am  ready  to  hand  that 
money  over  to  the  mission  at  once.  Yet 
that  will  not  be  enough.” 

“ If  you  think  it  wise,  I yield  to  your 
judgment,”  said  Mr.  Wagner.  “If  you  are 
ready  to  offer  your  money,  I am  ready  to 
give  mine.  I have  a little  sum  that  I have 
saved,  and  that  I am  willing  to  give  for  the 
school  ; yet  even  with  yours  that  will  not 
be  enough  to  build  a school  such  as  we  need. 
I have  thought  over  this  more  than  I have 
dared  speak,  and,  had  the  money  sufficient  to 
build  been  in  my  hands,  it  should  have  been 
given.  I have  thought  of  offering  the  little 
sum  I have,  but  knew  it  would  not  be  enough, 
so  said  nothing.  But  if  the  mission  will  take 
it,  the  money  is  at  the  service  of  the  Church. 
I am  a bachelor  and  don’t  need  to  care  for  a 
family  as  Mr.  Minturn  should.” 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


73 


“ I am  not  rich,”  said  the  young  mission- 
ary, “but  I think  that  if  necessary  I can 
furnish  in  time  what  will  be  needed  beyond 
what  Mr.  Minturn  and  Mr.  Wagner  lend.  I 
will  raise  the  money  somehow,  for  we  must 
have  the  school.  It  is  plain  even  to  me 
that  the  work  of  the  mission  demands  the 
school,  and  we,  as  the  representatives  of  the 
Church  at  home,  should  take  the  responsibil- 
ity and  build  the  school.  I say  let  us  do  it. 
If  you  two  brethren  are  willing  to  lend  what 
you  can,  I will  see  that  the  rest  is  pro- 
vided.” 

The  wife  of  the  young  man  gave  him  a 
look  that  was  more  a question  than  a 
reproof,  but  it  was  a question  that  he  felt 
could  wait.  Some  questions  are  better 
answered  later  and  when  the  work  is  done. 

“How  much  will  the  school  cost?”  asked 
Mr.  Wagner. 

“ I can  hardly  say,”  replied  Mr.  Minturn. 
“We  must  ask  Iau  Sai  to  give  us  an  esti- 
mate.” 

“ Such  a school  as  we  should  have  would 
in  our  own  country  cost  a good  deal,”  sug- 
gested the  young  missionary  ; “ I doubt  if  it 


74 


LENG  TSO. 


could  be  built  for  ten  thousand  dollars.  But 
I have  not  the  faintest  idea  wliat  it  costs  to 
build  in  China.” 

“‘Ten  thousand  dollars’!”  repeated  Mr. 
Minturn.  “ Work  and  materials  are  cheap 
here ; besides,  the  Chinese  students  do  not 
need  rooms  such  as  you  were  used  to  in  college 
and  seminary.  I don’t  believe  that  it  would 
cost  one  thousand  dollars  to  build  such  a house 
as  we  require ; we  can  put  up  a small  building 
and  enlarge  it  as  our  wants  increase.” 

“We  will  need  a chapel  and  a lecture- 
room,  as  well  as  a schoolroom  for  study, 
on  the  first  floor,  and  sleeping-rooms  on  the 
second,  I suppose,”  said  Mr.  Wagner.  “ I 
think,  Mr.  Minturn,  that  is  what  you 
proposed?” 

“Yes,”  said  the  senior  missionary;  “we 
will  need  two  rooms  below,  besides  a kitchen 
for  cooking  and  eating.  Really,  there  should 
be  two  rooms  for  the  work  of  the  young  men 
aside  from  their  study-room  and  the  chapel. 
I think,  by  making  eight  sleeping-rooms  on 
the  second  story  and  dividing  the  first  into 
two  larger  rooms  and  one  small  one,  we  can 
make  a suitable  and  useful  building.  Then 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


75 


we  can  add  a kitchen  at  the  end  for  cooking. 
A room  for  study  and  lectures  to  hold  twenty 
students  will  be  large  enough.” 

“‘Twenty  students ’?”  was  asked,  in  sur- 
prise. “ Why,  we  have  only  six  now  on 
whom  we  can  count,  with  a prospect  of  one, 
or  possibly  two,  more  within  a year.  Where 
will  the  other  twelve  come  from,  and  how 
can  you  put  twenty  students  in  eight  sleep- 
ing-rooms ?” 

“ It  is  probable,”  replied  Mr.  Min  turn, 
“ that  we  shall  have  the  theological  students 
of  one  of  the  other  missions  to  recite  and 
study  with  ours.  It  will  save  the  time  of 
teachers  and  enable  one  of  us  to  give  more 
time  to  a certain  line  of  teaching,  and  another 
to  a different  line  of  instruction.  We  must 
lay  our  plans  for  a larger  institution,  and  one 
that  will  take  in  the  other  missions  in  our 
vicinity.” 

“ But  will  they  all  stay  and  sleep  here  ?” 

“No;  only  study  and  recite.  The  other 
missions  have  no  better  accommodations  than 
we  for  their  young  men;  and  if  we  start  this 
school,  it  may  be  the  means  of  drawing  us  all 
together  in  our  work.” 


76 


LENG  TSO. 


“You  said  three  rooms  besides  a kitchen 
on  the  first  floor,”  spoke  the  young  mission- 
ary ; “ what  would  the  rooms  be  for  ?” 

“ One  for  a chapel,  another  for  study  and 
regular  schoolroom,  and  the  third  for  a din- 
ing-room. We  cannot  make  both  chapel  and 
schoolroom  serve  the  same  purpose,  for  the 
desks  used  in  writing  would  hinder  in  chapel 
service  and  work.  We  must  have  a chapel 
not  only  for  service  with  the  students,  but 
as  a preaching-place  to  which  others  can  be 
invited.  Our  school  must  be  made  useful 
not  only  for  training,  but  for  practical  mis- 
sion work.” 

“ We  should  make  it  as  comfortable  and 
convenient  as  possible,”  added  Mr.  Wagner. 
“ I think  that  the  young  men  should  be 
taught  to  live  like  men,  and  men  who  are  to 
become  future  leaders  among  their  people. 
Do  not  make  them  foreigners  in  customs  or 
manner  of  living,  but  refined  Chinese  Chris- 
tian leaders.  They  are  the  men  who  are  to 
form  the  China  of  the  future  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  If  this  country  is  to  become 
Christian,  as  I believe  it  is,  then  it  will  become 
so  through  the  preachers.  They,  of  all  men, 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


77 


should  be  so  taught  and  trained  that  they 
may  be  elevating  leaders  to  the  people  whom 
they  teach.” 

“ You  will  find  it  a difficult  task  to  elevate 
those  born  and  brought  up  in  heathenism 
and  among  the  lower  classes,”  replied  Mr. 
Minturn.  “ A Chinaman  is  a slow-moving 
body  when  in  the  line  of  progress.  Yet  I 
agree  with  Mr.  Wagner,  and  it  is  on  that 
principle  our  mission  has  acted.  But  for 
us  to  build  a theological  seminary  here  after 
the  model  of  those  at  home,  and  then  put  the 
young  men  in  with  the  expectation  of  mak- 
ing them  like  those  who  graduate  from  our  own 
seminaries,  would  be  to  attempt  what  would 
certainly  prove  a failure.  A seminary  on 
the  home  model  may  be  a thing  of  the  fu- 
ture, but  it  is  not  for  the  present  here.” 

“ How  large  shall  the  building  be  ?”  asked 
the  young  missionary,  who  was  eager  to  have 
the  work  begin  at  once. 

“ I have  thought  over  the  matter,”  replied 
Mr.  Minturn,  “ and  don’t  see  how  we  can 
make  a building  do  that  is  less  than  twenty- 
four  by  thirty-six  feet  inside  the  walls.  The 
rooms  for  the  young  men  should  be  eight 


78 


LENG  TSO. 


feet  by  ten,  and  there  should  be  a hallway 
four  feet  wide,  with  four  rooms  on  each  side. 
Then  a small  space  will  be  needed  for  stair- 
way. Below,  of  course,  the  dining-room  will 
be  next  the  kitchen  and  have  the  stair- 
way in  it ; then  I think  it  will  be  well  to 
have  the  schoolroom  next,  and  the  chapel 
or  worship-room  farthest  from  the  dining- 
room.” 

With  some  modifications  this  plan  was 
agreed  upon,  and  Iau  Sai  was  soon  informed 
of  the  wish  of  the  mission.  The  good  man 
■was  very  glad  to  give  the  estimate  and  take 
charge  of  the  erection. 

“ Husband,”  said  the  wife  of  the  young 
missionary  when  they  wTere  in  their  rooms, 
“ how  can  you  give  money  for  that  school  ? 
Have  you  money  to  give  ? You  know  we 
are  living  here  on  a small  salary,  and,  as  far 
as  I know,  we  have  nothing  else  to  depend 
on.  We  must  not  only  buy  what  we  need, 
but  our  wants  may  be  greater  before  long,  as 
we  may  not  all  live  in  one  mission-house  as 
we  do  now,  and  in  one  family.” 

“ Oh,  you  just  wait  until  my  ship  comes 
in,”  replied  the  husband,  “and  you  will  see 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


79 


what  money  I have.  We  shall  be  rich  then 
— at  least,  rich  enough  to  do  our  part  in 
building  this  school,  or  seminary,  as  I like 
to  call  it.” 

“ I have  not  heard  that  our  ship  has  set 
out  yet,”  replied  the  wife.  “ What  if  it  be 
wrecked  and  never  come  in  ? You  have 
heard  of  wrecks,  I suppose?” 

“ Well,  yes,  I think  history  records  two 
or  three ; but  then  my  ship  is  all  right 
yet.  You  wait;  we’ll  see.” 

“ I would  rather  we  could  use  the  present 
tense  in  this  case.  But  seriously,  Avon, 
why  did  you  promise  to  give  money,  when 
you  have  none  to  give?” 

“ Winnie,  we  are  living  by  faith,  and  I 
have  a supply  of  that  commodity — not  a 
commodity,  perhaps,  but  a possession.  What 
is  the  use  of  storing  your  faith  for  a rainy 
day  ? Use  it  now  is  my  motto.” 

“ Oh,  Avon,  I wish  you  would  speak 
seriously.  I want  you  to  do  all  you  can, 
but  I don’t  wish  you  to  promise  what  you 
cannot  fulfill.  That  money  will  be  needed 
when  the  building  is  done,  and  we  must 
pay  our  share.  Where  will  the  money  be  ?” 


80 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Now,  Winnie,  I will  talk  seriously,  but 
don’t  expect  me  to  tell  you  wThat  a prophet 
might  keep  secret  because  he  lacked  the  in- 
formation. I see  what  it  costs  to  live  here 
as  we  are  living  now,  and  we  can  save  some 
of  our  salary.  Good  friends  gave  us  a 
stock  of  clothing  to  last  for  several  years ; 
besides,  they  gave  us  a large  supply  of  other 
things  that  we  shall  need.  Now,  I propose 
that,  if  necessary,  we  appropriate  from  our 
salary  what  such  things  would  cost  for,  say, 
three  years,  and  ask  the  mission  to  advance 
some  of  our  salary  for  the  remainder  of 
the  year  and  appropriate  it  to  the  building. 
Are  you  willing  to  go  partner  with  me  in 
this  work  ?” 

“You  need  not  ask  me,  Avon;  I am 
ready  to  do  all  I can,  but  am  not  ready  to 
promise  what  we  cannot  fulfill.  I see  now' 
that  we  can  do  something,  but,  I fear,  not 
our  full  share — at  least,  not  when  needed.” 

“ It  is  wise,  Winnie,  to  look  ahead, but  it  is 
awfully  straining  to  the  eyes,  and  not  less  so 
to  faith.  We  can  see  ahead  a few  months ; 
let  us  rest  our  eyes  a little  until  a month  or 
two  go  by.  But  let  me  say  that  I have 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


81 


another  resource  that  has  not  yet  been  tried. 
When  I was  a student,  I wrote  occasionally 
for  papers  and  magazines,  and  made  some 
money  by  such  contributions.  When  I 
came  to  China,  editors  asked  me  to  become 
correspondent  for  their  papers.  I declined, 
as  it  seemed  my  duty  to  give  all  my  time  to 
the  mission  work ; but  if  necessary,  I will 
write  a letter  now  and  then,  and  may  get 
a few  odd  and  some  even  dollars  by  the 
correspondence.  This  will  be  given  to  the 
mission,  and  so,  after  all,  will  be  doing- 
mission  work ; besides,  it  may  interest  the 
home  people  in  this  godless  nation.” 

The  young  man  did  not  write  letters  to 
papers  at  once ; but  when  the  time  came  to 
write  the  mission  letter,  he  broke  the  rule  of 
the  mission  that  no  letter  should  be  sent  to 
the  home  society  without  first  being  read  to 
the  whole  mission.  He  told  the  story  of 
the  proposed  building  and  how  the  two 
missionaries  had  agreed  to  give  what  little 
money  they  had  toward  the  work.  He  said 
nothing  of  his  own  purpose,  because  he 
thought  that  might  not  be  carried  out. 
At  its  close  the  writer  asked  if  the  Church 


82 


LENG  TSO. 


would  not  be  able  in  some  way  to  save 
the  two  missionaries  giving  for  this  work 
what  little  means  they  possessed.  The 
answer  soon  came.  The  society  directed 
that  the  school  be  built  at  once,  and  credited 
the  mission  with  an  additional  appropriation 
to  cover  the  cost.  The  building  was  well 
on  the  way  to  completion  when  the  per- 
mission to  build  came  ; and  when  the  money 
was  needed,  the  missionaries  were  not  called 
on  for  gifts  or  loans. 

The  building  was  a humble  one,  but  a 
fine  edifice  it  appeared  to  the  Chinese.  Its 
plain  brick  sides  and  tile  roof,  as  well  as  the 
tile  floors  within,  were  not  attractive,  but  the 
building  was  meant  for  use  rather  than  for 
ornament,  and  well  it  suited  its  purpose. 
Never  before  had  the  eight  students  who 
occupied  its  rooms  enjoyed  such  school  privi- 
leges and  conveniences.  The  neatly-plastered 
walls  were  decorated  with  maps  and  pictures, 
while  the  chair,  the  bed  and  the  table,  together 
with  a small  shelf  of  books,  made  each  room 
seem  more  than  homelike  to  the  occupants. 
The  doors  at  either  end  of  the  lower  story, 
and  a window  at  the  end  of  the  hall  over  each 


THE  NEW  SEMINARY. 


83 


door  in  the  upper  story,  gave  air,  while 
two  double  windows,  one  on  each  side,  above 
and  below,  gave  light  as  well  as  air  to  all  the 
rooms.  Proud  were  the  Chinese  Christians 
as  they  passed  through  the  building,  but 
none  felt  so  satisfied  as  the  missionaries. 
It  had  been  the  hope  of  years.  Yet  that 
building  cost  less  than  a thousand  dollars, 
the  ground  included.  They  built  in  faith. 
It  was  a tiny  seed  that  they  planted  ; they 
have  already  seen  it  spring  up  and  bear 
fruit.  It  is  becoming  an  institution  of 
which  those  very  men — for  they  are  all  alive 
at  the  time  the  author  writes — have  reason 
to  be  proud.  The  little  building  has  already 
given  place  to  a larger,  and,  instead  of  being 
the  seminary  of  one,  it  has  become  that  of 
all  the  missions  in  that  vicinity.  Already 
has  it  sent  forth  a number  of  men  as  pastors 
of  Christian  churches  in  China,  and  a much 
larger  number  as  evangelists  to  preach  to 
those  yet  in  heathen  darkness. 


CHAPTER  IY. 


TO  A AW. 


VER  the  mountain  from  Thau  Pau  was 


a small  village  called  Toa  Aw.  Like 
Thau  Pau,  it  was  built  near  the  mountain, 
and,  like  it,  was  what  the  Chinese  call  a lau. 
It  was  a large,  circular  two-story  building 
with  all  the  windows  and  doors  on  the  inside, 
except  the  single  door  on  the  ground  floor  by 
which  the  people  entered  and  passed  out  of 
the  building  and  the  inner  court.  Within 
the  house — for  such  is  a Chinese  lau — there 
are  two  sets  of  rooms,  those  on  the  first  and 
those  on  the  second  floor,  the  lower  used 
rather  for  pigs,  buffaloes,  poultry  and  as 
store-rooms  than  for  dwellings  for  human 
beings.  A large  court  or  yard,  forming  a 
kind  of  commons,  is  left  inside  of  the  inner 
wall.  This  court  is,  of  course,  smaller  in  the 
lesser  laus,  but  each  has  this  inner  court. 
Here  the  goats  and  children  play,  the  men, 


Page  84. 


The  Chinese  Law. 


TO  A AW. 


85 


after  their  work,  sit  and  smoke  and  talk,  and 
the  women  meet  to  gossip. 

Whether  or  not  there  be  these  queer  homes 
in  other  parts  of  China  the  writer  does  not 
know,  but  in  that  part  of  the  country  they 
are  slowly  going  to  decay.  No  new  ones, 
probably,  are  built,  and  the  old  ones  have 
mostly  outlasted  their  usefulness  and  pur- 
pose. They  are  a relic  of  past  ages — times 
when  the  country  was  less  under  the  control 
of  law  than  now,  and  when  small  commu- 
nities were  forced  to  depend  on  themselves 
for  protection  from  enemies.  These  laus  are 
fortified  villages — the  outer  wall  being  a for- 
tification— and  were  probably  built  centuries 
ago,  when  clan  wars  and  party  feuds  were 
far  more  common  than  now.  They  are  very 
different  from  the  small  square  forts  or  watch- 
towers  that  one  so  often  meets  in  some  parts 
of  China.  The  latter  usually  stand  a short 
distance  from  a village  and  are  meant  to  hold 
a guard  or  sentinels,  who  protect  the  village 
from  enemies  or  watch  for  their  approach. 

In  later  years,  as  the  country  has  become 
more  peaceful  and  law-observing,  and  as  the 
room  in  the  laus  has  been  overcrowded  by 


86 


LENG  TSO. 


the  increase  of  inhabitants,  additions  outside 
of  the  circular  building  have  been  made,  and 
people  have  put  up  their  little  cottages  near 
the  greater  buildings.  So,  as  the  old  home  goes 
to  decay,  new  and  much  smaller  as  well  as 
separate  ones  are  taking  its  place. 

To  protect  not  only  from  human,  but  from 
other,  enemies  were  these  strange  homes  erect- 
ed. In  the  mountains  are  tigers,  their  num- 
ber much  larger,  probably,  in  former  years, 
but  none  too  small  yet,  and  to  leave  buffa- 
loes, goats  and  poultry  out  of  doors  at  night, 
or  even  for  human  beings  to  sleep  unprotect- 
ed by  walls,  was,  and  in  some  parts  of  China 
even  now  is,  to  risk  an  attack  by  tigers. 

A number  of  years  before  our  story 
begins  a rebellion  broke  out  in  China, 
known  as  the  Tai  Ping  rebellion.  It  came 
near  overthrowing  the  present  dynasty,  and 
would  probably  have  succeeded  had  not 
foreigners  taken  sides  with  the  imperial 
government  and  aided  in  putting  down  the 
rebels. 

Those  familiar  with  Chinese  history  need 
not  be  told  that  the  present  rulers  of  that 
country  are  not  Chinese,  but  Mantchu  Tar- 


TO  A AW. 


87 


tars,  who  more  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  ago  conquered  the  people  and 
have  since  ruled  over  them.  This  rule  has 
not  been  of  the  gentlest,  and  has  often 
brought  about  rebellions  here  and  there 
throughout  the  empire,  but  probably  none 
so  great  or  so  nearly  successful  as  that  of 
the  Tai  Pings.  A large  portion  of  the 
people  sympathized  with  the  rebels  and 
would  have  been  glad  had  they  succeeded. 
During  the  war,  and  even  after  its  close, 
bands  of  insurgents  went  about  the  coun- 
try robbing  and  murdering,  but  it  is  to  be 
feared  that  much  of  the  murder  and  destruc- 
tion caused  by  the  rebellion  was  the  work  of 
the  soldiers  of  the  government.  In  many 
cases  they  acted  as  much  like  robbers  and 
murderers  as  did  any  rebel  bands,  and,  as 
for  cruelty,  the  Tai  Pings,  with  all  their 
barbaric  heartlessness  toward  their  enemies, 
were  not  guilty  of  crimes  so  great  as  those 
perpetrated  by  the  imperial  troops. 

The  people  of  Toa  Aw  had  been  told 
again  and  again  that  the  Tai  Pings  were 
coming  to  destroy  their  village  and  kill  the 
people,  and  perhaps  as  often  they  had  been 


88 


LENG  TSO. 


warned  that  the  government  soldiers  were 
coming  to  kill  all  who  sympathized  with 
rebels.  A guard  was  stationed  at  some 
distance  from  the  place  to  watch  for  the 
approach  of  the  enemy,  whether  imperial  or 
rebel  soldiers — for  all  soldiers  who  came  to 
Toa  Aw  would  be  regarded  as  enemies — and 
to  warn  the  people  of  the  approach  of  a 
hostile  force.  Arrangements  were  made  to 
leave  the  village  and  hide  in  the  neighboring 
mountains  on  the  approach  of  a large  body 
of  troops.  The  people  knew  that,  while  they 
might  by  closing  the  gate  of  the  lau  suc- 
cessfully resist  a small  army,  such  resistance 
would  but  bring  a larger  force.  If  captured 
after  resistance,  the  captives  must  die.  In 
the  end  it  would  be  a question  between 
losing  property  and  losing  lives,  and  they 
decided  to  save  their  lives  at  the  risk  of 
home  and  possessions. 

One  day  a sentinel  rushed  into  the  place 
shouting, 

“ The  rebels  are  coming ! Run  ! Don’t 
wait ! They  are  near ! Run  for  life !” 

The  man’s  face  denoted  even  more  than 
his  words,  and  the  people  needed  no  urging 


TO  A AW. 


89 


to  hasten  to  prepare  for  flight.  It  was  the 
work  of  but  a few  minutes  for  the  villagers, 
men,  women  and  children,  to  be  ready  to 
hurry  from  the  gate  of  the  fortified  home. 
Mothers  with  their  children,  fathers  with 
their  delicate  little  ones,  old  people  trembling 
as  they  clung  to  their  staves,  each  carrying, 
leading,  driving  away,  what  in  their  haste 
they  were  able  to  reach  first, — all  hurried 
from  the  place.  Scarcely  had  they  passed 
out  of  the  gate  when  a sentinel  who  had 
remained  to  watch  the  approach  of  the 
soldiers  came  running  and  shouting: 

“ Run ! Run  for  life ! The  rebels  are 
near — only  just  out  of  sight!  Soon  they 
will  see  you,  and  then  it  will  be  too  late  to 
escape!” 

Terrified,  the  fugitives  ran  with  all  their 
might,  some  soon  taking  the  lead,  while  the 
old  and  the  weak  came  straggling  on  behind. 
There  were,  however,  not  wanting  strong  and 
noble  men  to  stay  by  those  who  lagged  be- 
hind ; among  these  was  Soe,  or,  as  he  was 
called,  “ Soe  Hia.”  While  generously  help- 
ing others  on  he  in  some  way  cut  his  foot 
so  badly  that  he  was  compelled  to  be  among 


90 


LENG  'ISO. 


the  last  of  the  flying  ones.  While  all  were 
running  rapidly  some  one  called  out, 

“ They  are  coming ! The  rebels  are  coming 
close  behind ! Run ! Run,  or  they  will 
catch  you  !” 

Tired  and  exhausted  though  some  of  the 
weak  ones  were,  they  started  anew ; fear 
seemed  to  lend  them  strength.  They  needed 
not  to  look  hack  to  prove  to  themselves  that 
the  rebels  were  in  sight,  for  the  shout  of 
the  pursuers  was  heard,  though  at  a long 
distance  behind.  After  chasing  the  fugitives 
for  a short  time  the  soldiers  turned  back  to 
the  open  gate  of  the  lau,  probably  thinking 
that  the  village  had  more  of  value  in  it  than 
the  people  were  carrying  away.  They  were 
more  intent  on  plunder  than  on  capturing 
prisoners  or  taking  life  ; indeed,  the  rebels 
were  careful  to  spare  the  lives  of  all  whom 
they  did  not  think  friends  of  the  Tartar 
government. 

Learning  that  they  were  not  pursued,  the 
frightened  people  stopped  for  a few  minutes 
to  take  breath  and  hold  a council  as  to  their 
safety,  hut  it  was  only  for  a few  minutes  that 
they  waited. 


TO  A AW. 


91 


“ Tlie  rebels  will  come  as  soon  as  they 
have  plundered  our  village,”  said  one,  “ and 
then  will  kill  us  all,  to  prevent  our  telling  of 
their  deeds.  Let  us  go  on  and  hide  where 
they  cannot  find  us.” 

This  counsel  was  taken,  and  as  swiftly  as 
possible  the  whole  company  hurried  to  the 
mountains,  where  a place  of  hiding  was 
found.  There  they  made  themselves  as 
comfortable  as  they  could,  but  the  comfort 
was  not  great.  It  was  enough  for  them, 
however,  to  know,  as  hour  after  hour  went 
by,  that  the  rebels  had  not  found  them. 
They  could  even  dare  tigers  if  no  worse 
enemies  came. 

That  first  night  was  a gloomy  one.  With- 
out shelter  other  than  that  which  the  trees 
and  rocks  gave,  with  little  to  keep  off  tigers 
should  any  attack — they  hardly  dared  build 
fires  lest  these  betray  to  the  rebels  their 
retreat — with  but  a small  stock  of  food 
and  not  knowing  how  long  they  might  be 
compelled  to  stay  away  from  a supply,  and 
not  knowing  whether  they  had  anything 
else  in  the  world  than  they  had  brought 
with  them,  the  poor  fugitives  waited  for 


92 


LESG  TSO. 


morning.  When  morning  came,  it  removed 
to.  a great  degree  their  fear  of  tigers,  but 
brought  a fear  of  being  discovered  by  worse 
enemies.  Many  were  the  prayers  offered 
during  that  night  and  the  next  day  by  the 
women  and  by  some  of  the  men  to  the 
spirits  of  the  gods  and  of  the  dead  to 
preserve  them  from  their  enemies.  The 
women  lamented  that  they  had  no  temple  to 
go  to  nor  incense  to  offer  to  the  gods  to  pay 
for  taking  care  of  them.  Some  of  the  men 
after  a day  or  two  ridiculed  this  devotion  to 
the  idols,  but  at  first  said  nothing  to  oppose 
the  worship  of  those  who  chose  to  pray. 

As  the  day  after  their  first  night  of  exile 
passed  and  no  rebels  were  seen,  the  fugitives 
began  to  feel  more  secure  and  hoped  that 
their  hiding-place  would  not  be  discovered. 
For  several  days  they  remained  hidden,  none 
daring  to  leave  their  retreat  lest  the  rebels 
should  learn,  by  seeing  any  who  might  go, 
the  place  where  the  others  were  hiding. 

When  several  days  had  gone  by  and  there 
was  no  sound  nor  appearance  of  soldiers, 
scouts  were  sent  out  to  look  for  signs  of 
the  enemy.  These  cautiously  and  slowly  ap- 


TO  A AW. 


93 


proached  their  home,  but  neither  heard  nor 
saw  anything  of  rebels  until  Toa  Aw  was 
reached.  Very  cautiously  they  entered  the 
lau  lest  rebels  might  be  hiding  in  ambush  or 
in  the  building,  ready  to  capture  the  first  who 
returned  from  the  hiding-place.  No  one  ap- 
pearing, the  men  began  to  believe  that  no 
enemy  was  hidden.  But  what  a sight  met 
their  eyes  as  they  looked  around ! If  no 
rebels  were  there  now,  there  was  proof 
enough  that  enemies  had  been  there.  Part 
of  the  wall  was  broken  down,  and  the  whole 
place  was  little  better  than  a ruin.  As  the 
men  went  from  room  to  room  of  the  great 
house  they  saw  what  terrible  destruction  had 
been  made.  Walls  were  broken,  doors  were 
torn  from  their  fastenings,  furniture  was 
scattered  about,  broken  and  crushed  beyond 
repair,  while  the  more  valuable  articles  were 
altogether  missing.  Hurriedly  they  looked 
around,  and  then,  fearing  that  the  rebels 
might  return,  hastened  away  to  their  friends 
in  the  mountains.  The  sad  news  of  destruc- 
tion was  not  unexpected ; the  people  were 
only  too  glad  to  know  that  anything  was  left 
of  their  home.  Bitter,  however,  were  the 


94 


LENO  TSO. 


denunciations  of  the  destroying  rebels ; even 
those  favorable  to  the  cause  of  the  Tai  Pings 
were  now  willing  to  wish  ruin  to  everything 
pertaining  to  the  rebellion. 

A council  was  held  to  decide  what  should 
be  done.  Some  advised  returning  at  once  to 
the  village,  while  others  insisted  that  the 
enemy  was  waiting  in  ambush  to  capture  all 
when  they  came  back.  These  said  that  the 
rebels,  if  they  had  disappeared  now,  would 
doubtless  be  back  again  soon  with  a larger 
force,  to  carry  away  what  could  not  be  taken 
the  first  time.  To  the  villagers  the  little  place 
and  its  small  amount  of  property  seemed 
marvelous  for  wealth,  and  to  them  it  had 
been  a wonder  that  the  rebels  had  not  long 
before  come  to  capture  such  riches.  After  a 
Iona:  discussion  it  was  determined  to  send 
some  of  the  boldest  ones  back  not  only  to 
the  village,  but  to  search  the  country  around 
and  learn  what  had  become  of  the  rebels. 

The  searching  band  found  the  village  as 
the  first  scouts  had  described  it,  nor  did  they 
see  any  marks  that  showed  the  presence  of 
rebels  anywhere  near.  Growing  bolder, 
they  went  to  the  nearest  village,  and  there 


TO  A AW. 


95 


met  men  who  had  seen  the  band  of  marau- 
ders leave  Toa  Aw  several  days  before.  In- 
deed, it  became  evident  that  the  rebels  had 
stayed  but  a few  hours  in  Toa  Aw  and  were 
now  nowhere  near  the  village.  They  had 
probably  been  on  some  expedition,  and,  com- 
ing upon  Toa  Aw  and  other  villages  on  the 
way,  had  stopped  for  a while  at  each  to  plun- 
der and  destroy,  but  were  not  inclined  to 
take  much  pains  to  capture  or  kill  the  peo- 
ple; nor  would  they  be  likely  to  harm  any 
who  appeared  friendly  to  the  cause  of  the 
rebellion.  Because  some  in  Toa  Aw  were 
supposed  to  be  unfriendly  to  the  Tai  Pings 
the  village  had  suffered. 

With  the  information  they  had  gained,  the 
men  returned  to  their  friends  in  the  moun- 
tains. Some  were  ready  to  start  at  once ; 
others  were  not  so  ready  to  believe  that  the 
rebels  had  left  the  neighborhood,  and  urged 
delay.  They  preferred  starving  in  the  moun- 
tains to  being  killed  by  enemies  in  their 
homes.  But  the  majority  of  the  exiles  be- 
lieved that  it  was  safe  to  return  to  the  vil- 
lage, and  all  were  compelled  to  abide  by  the 
decision  of  the  greater  number  or  remain  in 


96 


LENG  TSO. 


the  mountains  and  starve,  as  the  provisions 
were  about  gone. 

Before  starting  for  the  lau  the  women 
offered  earnest  prayers  to  the  gods  that  reb- 
els might  be  kept  from  harming  them,  and 
promised  to  offer  sacrifices  and  other  rewards 
to  the  idols  in  their  own  village  home.  There 
were  not  wanting  men  to  look  with  scorn  on 
these  devout  ones,  and  to  ask  where  the  gods 
were,  that  the  rebels  had  not  been  kept  from 
Toa  Aw.  The  very  men  who  were  ready  to 
pray  most  earnestly  when  the  rebels  were 
coming  were  as  willing  to  ridicule  idols  since 
the  rebels  had  left. 

The  return  was  a slower  and  less  fearful 
journey  than  the  one  to  the  mountains,  yet  the 
more  timid  clung  closely  together  as  they 
marched  along,  and  listened  with  no  little 
fear  to  every  strange  sound  they  heard. 
Some  who  ran  the  fastest  for  the  mountains 
were  leaders  now,  since  they  were  convinced 
that  the  rebels  were  away.  All  the  world 
over  may  be  found  those  whose  bravery  is 
remarkable  when  danger  is  at  a distance. 

As  the  fugitives  reached  their  home  and 
saw  what  ruin  had  been  made  there  the  bit- 


TO  A AW. 


97 


ter  words  against  the  rebels  were  many,  but 
some  were  too  sad  to  be  bitter.  Women  could 
best  show  their  grief  in  tears  as  they  saw  the 
desolation  of  their  homes  and  the  ruin  of 
their  property.  Not  only  had  part  of  the 
walls  of  the  lau  been  destroyed,  but  food 
and  cattle  that  had  been  left  had  been  either 
taken  away  or  rendered  worthless.  Fortu- 
nately, the  crops  in  the  fields  had  been  left, 
and  the  villagers  were  able  to  get  food  from 
other  places  not  far  away. 

But  the  mauraders  had  done  a deed  that 
to  some  of  the  people  gave  great  pain  and  to 
others  none  at  all.  The  idols  had  all  been 
destroyed,  and  nothing  was  left  to  show  what 
gods  wTere  worshiped  in  Toa  Aw.  This  was 
in  keeping  with  the  course  of  the  Tai  Pings  : 
wherever  they  went,  they  destroyed  all  the 
idol-temples  and  every  indication  of  idolatry. 
One  of  their  principles  was  opposition  to  the 
old  idolatry  of  China, 

“ Where  are  your  gods  now  ?”  asked  a man 
of  one  of  the  devout  women.  “Not  only 
could  they  not  help  you,  but  they  were  unable 
to  help  themselves.  That  is  a poor  kind  of 
a god  to  worship.” 

7 


98 


LENG  TSO. 


“ All !”  replied  the  woman,  sorrowfully  ; 
“ the  gods  were  so  eager  to  help  us  that  they 
forgot  to  care  for  themselves,  and  while  they 
were  leading  us  safely  to  a place  of  hiding 
the  rebels  destroyed  them  and  their  temple.” 

“ Such  gods  are  in  need  of  friends  to  care 
for  them,”  suggested  the  man. 

“ And  we  will  care  for  them,”  was  the  re- 
ply. “ If  they  think  of  us  more  than  them- 
selves, then  we  should  see  that  they  have  a 
new  home  and  a new  form  in  which  their 
spirits  shall  dwell.” 

“You  may  build;  and  when  the  rebels 
come  again,  they  will  tear  down  the  temple 
that  you  set  up,”  was  the  remark  of  one  who 
stood  by. 

“No  fear  of  the  return  of  rebels,”  said  a 
man  noted  for  his  courage  after  battles  were 
over.  “ We  will  see  that  they  do  not  trouble 
us  again.” 

“ Why  did  you  not  see  that  they  did  not 
trouble  us  the  first  time  ?”  was  asked. 

“ We  had  not  time  to  prepare,”  was  his 
answer.  “The  long-haired  thieves*  came 

* The  term  “ long-haired  thieves”  was  given  to  the  Tai 
Pings  on  account  of  their  wearing  the  hair  long  rather 


TO  A AW. 


99 


too  suddenly,  and  it  was  better  to  try  them 
and  see  what  they  would  do  at  their  first 
visit.  At  their  next  we  will  show  what  we 
can  do.” 

“What  will  you  do?”  was  asked. 

“ I will  show  you,”  was  the  answer ; “ and 
if  all  will  do  as  I say,  you  need  not  fear  the 
rebels.  I know  about  fighting : I was  a sol- 
dier once,  and  not  a rebel,  either,  but  belong- 
ed to  the  imperial  army.  True  soldiers  never 
run  from  the  enemy.  Unless,”  added  he, 
recollecting  his  own  haste  in  making  for  the 
mountain-retreat  a few  days  since — “ unless 
they  have  business  that  calls  them  away.” 

“ Then  you  had  business  calling  you  to 
the  mountains  the  time  we  all  ran  from 
Toa  Aw  ?”  suggested  one  of  his  listeners. 

“ Yes,  I had,”  replied  he,  unblusliingly : 
“ it  was  my  duty  then  to  find  a safe  place  for 
the  weak  and  the  feeble.  I hurried  on  ahead 
to  select  the  best  and  safest  spot,  and  found 
it,  too,  or  none  of  you  would  have  been  here 
to-day  alive  and  safe.” 


than  the  most  of  it  shaven  and  the  rest  braided  in  a cue.  The 
cue  is  the  Mantchu  Tartar  custom,  and  not  the  Chinese  before 
the  country  was  conquered  by  its  present  rulers. 


100 


L ENG  TSO. 


“ Well  did  you  lead  us,”  said  one ; “ only 
we  could  hardly  keep  up  with  you  to  know 
where  you  meant  to  take  us.” 

The  people  repaired  as  best  they  could  the 
walls  of  their  home,  but  were  unable  to  make 
the  place  as  strong  as  it  had  been.  Sentinels 
were  stationed,  as  before,  to  keep  watch  and 
to  warn  the  people  of  the  approach  of  enemies. 

Before  many  weeks  a sentinel  came  run- 
ning in  and  reported  that  a band  of  men — 
rebels,  he  said — were  approaching  the  place. 
Boasters  were  at  once  wanting,  but  fugitives 
were  plenty,  and  the  people  hurried  away  to 
the  mountains.  But,  as  there  was  no  pursuit 
made  hy  the  supposed  soldiers,  the  flying  vil- 
lagers stopped,  and  some  were  sent  back  to 
see  whether  the  report  of  the  sentinel  was 
true.  No  enemy  was  seen  in  or  about  the 
lau,  and  it  was  made  clear  that  either  the 
supposed  rebels  had  been  seen  by  the  imagi- 
nation of  the  sentinel  or  else  they  had  gone 
by  without  disturbing  Toa  Aw.  The  people 
came  back  to  the  village,  and  a few  to  their 
boasting.  But  the  man  who  had  promised 
to  do  great  things  had  little  to  say.  When  he 
was  asked  why  he  did  not  tell  the  people 


TO  A AW. 


101 


what  to  do,  he  replied  that  he  had  told  them 
and  all  had  obeyed.  His  purpose  was  to  get 
the  old  and  the  feeble  out  of  the  way  first, 
that  the  strong  and  the  brave  might  have 
nothing  to  hinder  when  they  undertook  to 
punish  the  rebels  as  they  deserved. 

“ But  why  not  stand  and  fight  for  the  old 
and  the  feeble  while  they  were  escaping,  in- 
stead of  compelling  them  to  hasten  to  the 
mountains  first?”  was  asked.  “Why  not 
let  them  see  how  brave  some  of  their  friends 
are,  and  how  able  to  fight  for  them?” 

“ It  is  the  place  of  the  brave  first  to  care 
for  the  weak,”  was  the  answer.  “ When  that 
is  done,  then  the  soldier  can  fight  with  more 
freedom.” 

“ But  why  did  not  you  come  back  the 
other  time  after  you  had  led  others  to  a place 
of  safety  ? Then  you  could  have  fought  with 
freedom.” 

“ Why  should  I ?”  asked  he.  “ The  rebels 
would  have  been  away  ; they  remained  only 
a few  hours.” 

“ But  you  might  have  turned  back  as  soon 
as  you  saw  that  we  were  approaching  a place 
of  safety.” 


102 


LENG  TSO. 


“ All !”  said  the  man,  after  a moment’s 
thought ; “ brave  men  will  not  throw  away 
the  lives  their  friends  soon  may  need.  My 
life  is  the  property  of  those  whom  I must 
protect.  It  may  be  a pleasure  for  me  to 
meet  and  destroy  an  enemy,  but  by  so  doing 
I might  be  injured  and  unable  to  protect 
others  when  most  needed.  I must  care  for 
myself  in  order  to  take  care  of  others.” 

The  people  enjoyed  hearing  this  man 
talk,  and  he  probably  fancied  that  they  be- 
lieved him.  He  never  proved  himself  very 
brave,  though  he  had  excellent  opportunities, 
for  the  village  was  attacked  by  rebels  more 
than  once. 

At  the  end  of  the  rebellion,  Toa  Aw,  like 
many  other  places  in  the  line  taken  by  rebel 
or  imperial  troops,  was  little  better  than  a ruin. 
The  people,  however,  escaped  capture,  if  they 
did  lose  most  of  their  property.  The  town 
was  rebuilt  in  part,  but  the  old  lau-form  was 
not  completely  restored.  The  people,  like 
most  others  in  China,  were  glad  of  peace, 
caring  little  on  which  side  victory  rested. 
The  Chinese  are  not,  as  a rule,  loyal  to  their 
nation  and  their  government ; nor  is  this 


TO  A AW. 


103 


strange : they  have  not  much  worth  their 
loyalty. 

The  wound  Soe  received  when  he  with 
the  others  first  escaped  from  pursuers  did  not 
heal  readily.  The  remedies  were  not  of  the 
best,  and  the  wound  was  a peculiar  one. 
His  foot  became  permanently  lame,  and 
always  had,  as  it  still  has,  a running  sore, 
remindino-  him  of  the  time  he  ran  for  his 

o 

life  from  the  rebels. 

This  Soe,  when  the  rebels  attacked  Toa  Aw, 
was  yet  a young  man  and  one  of  the  wealth- 
iest men  in  the  village.  Of  a generous  nature, 
he  was  always  doing  kindly  acts  to  others, 
and  had  won  the  good-will  and  love  of  near- 
ly, if  not  quite,  all  in  the  place.  His  very 
name — Hia,  or  “ brother  ” — given  to  him  by 
the  people,  proved  the  respect  and  love  they 
had  for  him.  They  were  willing  to  listen  to 
his  advice  and  accept  his  counsel  when  the 
advice  and  counsel  of  older  men  were  ignored. 
A noble-hearted  man,  and  as  liberal  as  he  was 
noble,  it  is  not  strange  that  Soe  became  the 
leading  man  of  Toa  Aw. 

Soe  had  friends  and  relatives  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Thau  Pau,  and  a number  of  years 


104 


LENG  TSO. 


after  the  close  of  the  rebellion,  when  he  was 
visiting  his  friends  there,  he  wras  surprised  to 
hear  his  friend  Liong  tell  of  the  new  foreign 
religion,  of  which  Liong  had  learned  in  the 
city  of  Ha  Bun.  Soe  listened  to  the  story, 
and  wondered.  That  it  was  a new  religion  he 
did  not  deny,  nor  did  he  deny  that  it  was  a 
good  one  for  foreigners,  but  he  was  unwilling 
to  accept  it  as  his  own. 

Liong  told  how  he  and  Gan  had  gone 
to  the  city  to  be  healed  of  disease,  and 
there  had  heard  the  new  and  strange  doc- 
trine. He  told,  too,  of  its  wonderful  effects 
on  men — how  it  went  right  to  the  heart, 
and  how  it  seemed  like  medicine  to  heal 
and  make  the  heart  pure. 

Soe  listened,  but  shook  his  head.  It 
might  be  good  for  foreigners,  but  hardly  for 
Chinese,  who  for  so  many  centuries  had  wor- 
shiped other  gods.  How  could  he  give  up 
the  worship  of  his  ancestors?  How  would 
he  dare  desert  their  spirits  in  the  unseen  world 
and  leave  them  to  suffer  and  starve,  without 
an  earthly  friend  to  care  for  their  wants? 
No ; he  would  not  do  as  Liong  had  done — 
give  up  the  religion  of  his  fathers  for  that 


TO  A AW. 


105 


of  foreigners.  In  vain  did  Liong  press  the 
truth  on  him ; Soe  determined  not  to  listen 
— or,  at  least,  not  to  heed.  But  those  were 
strange  stories  about  the  great  God  so  loving 
the  world  as  to  give  his  only-begotten  Son  to 
die  for  sinners,  and  about  that  Saviour  com- 
ing to  the  world  and  living  among  men  that 
he  might  teach  them  and  lead  them  back  to 
God,  the  true  God.  But  were  not  the  gods 
of  China  true  gods?  He  had  been  taught 
so.  Must  he  unlearn  all  the  lessons  of  child- 
hood? No;  he  would  not.  The -old  relig- 
ion that  had  been  good  enough  for  his  fa- 
thers was  good  enough  for  him.  It  is  true  it 
had  not  such  evidences  of  love  on  the  part  of 
the  gods  to  men,  but  it  was  the  religion  of 
his  native  land,  of  his  fathers,  and  he  would 
cling  to  it. 

Not  often  did  the  two  meet  and  have  an 
opportunity  to  speak  of  the  new  religion  be- 
fore persecution  began  in  Thau  Pau.  The 
opponents  of  the  new  doctrine  tried  to  pre- 
vent those  interested  in  it  from  worshiping 
the  foreign  God  in  the  village,  and  com- 
pelled them  to  go  out  into  the  fields  on 
the  Sabbath  to  hold  meetings.  Later  the 


106 


LENG  'ISO. 


hatred  to  the  Christians  became  so  great  that 
they  were  driven  altogether  from  the  village, 
and  were  forced  to  seek  safety  in  the  distant 
Foo  city,  where  there  were  a number  of 
Christians  and  a church. 

Soe  had  tried  to  prevent  the  persecution 
by  pleading  both  with  the  Christians  to  give 
up  outward  worship  of  the  foreign  God  and 
with  the  persecutors  to  allow  the  Christians 
to  believe  and  obey  a doctrine  that  was  harm- 
less to  all  but  themselves.  His  efforts  with 
both  parties  had  been  in  vain ; the  Chris- 
tians became  exiles,  and  their  property  was 
taken  by  those  who  had  driven  them  away. 

When  Soe  beheld  the  sacrifice  made  by 
the  Christians  for  their  faith,  he  was  moved ; 
it  was  a new  revelation  to  him.  To  see  men 
and  women  for  a new  religion — and  that  a 
foreign  one,  too — give  up  home,  friends,  all 
they  possessed,  and  go  out  penniless,  home- 
less and  friendless,  was  something  of  which 
Soe  had  never  heard.  He  could  not  under- 
stand it.  Something  more  than  he  had  ever 
felt  or  known  impelled  them  to  this  sacrifice. 
He  knew  that  it  was  not  a mere  fancy  that 
led  Liong  to  forsake  all,  whatever  might 


TO  A AW. 


107 


have  prompted  tlie  others.  Liong,  like  him- 
self, was  one  of  the  leading  men  of  his  village, 
was  the  owner  of  much  of  the  property  in  and 
around  Thau  Pau,  and,  more  than  that,  Liong 
was  a man  who  liked  honor  and  wished  to  be 
a leader.  He  was  proud  and  haughty — far 
more  so  than  Soe — and  for  Liong  to  forsake 
all  and  become  an  exile  on  account  of  a new 
religion  was  more  than  Soe  could  understand. 
Nor  could  others  understand  the  obstinacy, 
as  they  called  it,  of  the  Christians. 

“ It  is  strange,”  said  Soe  to  some  of  his 
friends  in  Toa  Aw  one  day  as  he  told  of  the 
persecution  and  the  exile  of  the  Christians. 
“ Why  they  could  not  let  the  people  who 
harmed  no  one  but  themselves  remain  and 
worship  whom  they  would  I cannot  under- 
stand. If  men  desert  the  worship  of  the 
gods,  that  is  a matter  for  the  gods  to  attend 
to,  and  not  for  men  to  punish.  They  who 
turn  away  from  the  gods  must  expect  to  lose 
the  gods’  favor,  and  that  should  be  punish- 
ment enough,  without  others  of  their  own 
kind  turning  against  and  robbing  those  whom 
the  gods  have  given  over  to  evil.” 

“You  must  not  forget,”  said  the  other, 


108 


LEXG  TSO. 


“ that  the  gods  may  allow  evil  to  come  upon 
those  who  turn  from  them,  and  that  that  same 
evil  may  reach  and  harm  the  faithful.  True 
worshipers  must  let  the  gods  see  that  they 
are  faithful  by  allowing  no  enemies  of  the 
idols  to  remain  in  the  place.  No  town  is 
safe  with  an  enemy  in  it.  At  any  time  such 
an  enemy  may  turn  the  whole  place  over  to 
those  who  might  ruin  it.  It  was  right  to 
drive  the  enemies  of  the  gods  from  Thau 
Pau.” 

“ Perhaps  it  was,”  sighed  Soe,  “ but  I 
would  have  let  them  remain  a while  to  see 
whether  injury  came  to  the  place  through 
them.  It  was  cruel  to  drive  from  home  and 
rob  of  all  they  possessed  men  who  merely 
worshiped  what  they  believe  to  be  the  true 
God.” 

The  exile  of  his  friends  and  their  patience 
while  in  exile,  their  willingness  to  give  up 
all  rather  than  the  new  doctrine  and  the  for- 
eign God,  had  an  effect  on  Soe  not  only,  but 
on  others  as  well;  and  that  impression  did 
not  pass  away. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL. 

WHEN  the  seminary  was  completed,  there 
was  a thought  in  the  minds  of  mission- 
aries as  well  as  of  Christian  Chinese  about  a 
school  for  girls.  The  education  of  girls  was 
anything  but  a Chinese  idea,  yet  the  entrance 
of  the  gospel  proved  it  to  be  a necessity  if 
China  is  to  become  a Christian  nation. 
Missionaries  soon  became  convinced  of  this, 
and  following  them  in  opinion  were  not  a 
few  of  the  more  thoughtful  native  Christians. 
The  difficulty  seemed  to  be  to  know  how  to 
educate  and  how  best  to  use  such  education. 
Merely  to  have  girls  go  to  school  and  then 
marry,  not  using  their  education  for  the 
good  of  others,  was  not  what  was  desired. 
In  China  nearly  every  girl  is  married  or 
engaged  before  she  is  twenty  years  of  age. 
A single  woman  on  the  shady  side  of 
twenty-five  with  no  prospects  of  a,  husband 

109 


no 


LENG  TSO. 


is  almost  unknown  there.  Even  widows  are 
not  plenty,  as  they  have  more  chances  of 
marrying  than  have  the  same  class  in 
America.  The  simple  fact  is  that  in  China 
there  are  not  enough  maidens  to  go  round. 
Bachelors  are  plenty,  old  maids  almost 
unknown.  For  this  there  are  two  reasons: 
many  female  infants  are  killed  to  save  the 
trouble  and  cost  of  bringing  them  up ; boy- 
babies  are  never  killed  for  this  reason,  and 
many  of  the  wealthier  men  have  more  than 
one  wife.  Thus  a woman  who  can  devote 
her  life  to  the  welfare  and  training  of  others 
is  seldom  found. 

We  may  sneer  at  those  whom  we  call 
“ old  maids,”  but  we  little  think  what  our 
country  would  be  without  them.  Nobler 
women  than  some  of  the  unmarried  ladies 
of  America  never  blessed  a nation.  Devoted 
to  the  welfare  of  others  rather  than  of  them- 
selves, they  are  willing  to  do  the  work  that 
others  cannot  or  will  not  do.  In  China  a 
woman’s  mission  is  supposed  to  be  that  of  a 
wife  and  mother  only ; too  often  it  is  the 
life  of  a mere  slave.  Never  to  have  been 
married  would  have  been  a far  greater 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


Ill 


blessing  than  to  have  had  a husband.  But 
that  is  something  that  Americans  need  not 
be  told.  Why  teach  people  lessons  from 
other  nations  that  they  may  learn  at  home? 

For  a young  woman  in  that  land  of 
strange  customs  to  go  to  school  as  a teacher 
might  be  to  disgrace  herself.  A young  lady 
must  not  be  seen  in  the  streets,  nor  is  it 
quite  respectable  for  her  to  engage  in  any 
other  than  household  duties,  embroidery, 
and  the  like.  True,  she  might  take  a few 
pupils  to  her  home,  if  girls ; yet  none  but 
small  girls,  according  to  custom,  are  allowed 
to  go  on  the  streets.  Nor  is  this  merely  a 
custom : it  is  a matter  of  safety. 

Difficulties  more  than  need  here  be  pre- 
sented are  in  the  way  of  the  education  of 
women  in  China,  but  they  are  difficulties 
that  must  be,  and  in  time  will  be,  overcome. 
To  have  the  wives  of  preachers  educated 
and  able  to  teach  in  their  homes,  their  hus- 
bands receiving  salary  enough  to  afford 
household  help,  would  be  an  aid  ; to  have 
elderly  women  become  teachers  and  have 
schools  for  girls  and  women  would  be  a 
still  greater  aid ; but  some  must  go  against 


112 


LENG  TSO. 


Chinese  custom  and  opinion : some  women 
must  devote  their  lives  to  educating  their 
own  sex,  and  go  about  among  the  women 
at  their  homes  to  teach  them  to  read  and 
to  proclaim  to  them  the  gospel.  Chinese 
custom  shuts  woman  within  her  home;  that 
custom  must  be  broken,  or  the  Christianizing 
of  the  people  cannot  be  accomplished.  The 
younger  women  may  not  meet  together,  and 
are  unable  to  hear  the  truth  from  the  preacher 
except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
chapel.  Until  the  wives  and  mothers  are 
converted  the  conversion  of  China  must  be 
done  over  again  with  each  new  generation. 
The  husbands  may  be  led  to  the  Saviour  as 
they  grow  to  manhood,  yet  the  heathen 
mothers  will  see  that  the  children  grow  up 
in  idolatry. 

“ What  is  the  use  of  teaching  women  to 
read  ?”  asked  a woman  of  Leng  Tso  one  day 
as  several  of  them  were  gathered  in  a 
Christian  family  in  Ha  Bun.  “ It  will  not 
help  them  to  cook  their  husbands’  food 
better  or  take  better  care  of  the  children. 
It  is  only  a waste  of  time.” 

“ Not  to  teach  women  makes  them  little 


THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL. 


113 


better  than  buffaloes,”  replied  the  Bible- 
woman.  “We  keep  those  animals  fastened 
by  a rope  and  by  a ring  in  the  nose  and  lead 
them  as  we  choose.  We  tie  them  to  a stake 
where  we  will  or  lead  them  to  such  water  as 
we  choose,  and  allow  them  no  choice  at  all 
as  to  food  or  drink.  If  we  neglect  them, 
they  must  thirst  and  starve.  So  it  is  with 
those  who  cannot  read  the  truth  itself : they 
are  like  tied  buffaloes,  and  are  led  by  the 
nose  where  the  j^reacher  will ; and  if  he 
neglect,  they  must  suffer.  If  he  give  wrong 
food,  if  he  teach  what  is  not  truth,  they  can- 
not tell  that  it  is  false,  because  they  cannot 
go  to  God’s  book  and  see.” 

“ But  we  must  trust  to  the  preachers  who 
are  taught  how  to  teach  us.  They  study 
the  holy  book ; and  if  they  do  not  tell  what 
it  teaches,  the  foreign  pastors  will  find  it  out 
and  stop  them.” 

“ How  will  the  foreign  pastors  who  do  not 
once  in  a hundred  times  hear  what  these 
teach  know  unless  we  tell  ? and  how  shall  we 
know  but  that  it  is  all  truth  if  we  have  not 
read  the  Bible  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

“Our  husbands  will  tell  us,”  was  the 


8 


114 


LENG  TSO. 


reply.  “ They  hear,  and  many  of  them  can 
read  somewhat.” 

“ Many  men  cannot  read,  and  very  few 
can  read  enough  to  be  able  to  read  all  the 
Bible,”  said  the  Bible-woman.  “And  what 
are  those  women  to  do  whose  husbands  are 
not  believers  ? What  shall  be  done  for  the 
many  thousands  of  our  nation  whose  hus- 
bands do  not  hear  the  gospel  or  do  not  care 
to  believe  it  ? Shall  such  be  left  to  perish  ? 
Many  of  them,  if  they  could  hear,  no  doubt 
would  believe;  the  doctrine  is  just  what 
they  need.  They  are  sad,  and  their  hearts 
long  for  something ; that  something  is  the 
truth  of  God’s  book.  They  never  come  to 
hear  the  doctrine  because  they  know  nothing 
about  it,  and  no  one  goes  to  tell  them.  Our 
Saviour  says,  ‘ Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature and 
here,  right  at  our  homes,  are  the  thousands 
who  have  never  heard  one  of  us  say  a word 
about  the  true  God.” 

“ We  cannot  help  that,”  answered  the 
woman.  “We  tell  our  friends,  and  cannot 
go  all  through  the  land  to  tell  strangers. 
God  does  not  expect  us  to  leave  our  families 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


115 


to  suffer  that  we  may  preach  the  gospel  to 
all.  Besides,  it  would  not  be  wise  nor  right 
for  a woman — unless  one  like  yourself — to 
do  it.” 

“ That  may  be,”  responded  Leng  Tso, 
“ and  just  such  ones  as  I am  should  go.  Yet 
where  are  such  ? There  are  a few  women  who 
might,  but  they  have  not  been  taught ; they 
cannot  read,  and  how  could  they  teach 
others  and  read  God’s  message  to  them? 
We  must  have  schools  to  teach  such.  Then 
we  need  to  have  the  pastors’  wives  and  the 
preachers’  wives  able  to  read  to  the  women 
and  teach  them.” 

“What!  and  leave  their  families,”  spoke 
another  woman,  in  surprise,  “ while  they 
went  around  teaching?” 

“ They  need  not  leave  their  families,”  an- 
swered the  Bible-woman.  “ Women  often 
visit  the  wives  of  pastors  and  preachers  ; 
why  could  not  they  visit  to  hear  the  truth  ?” 

“ Who  would  teach  such  women  ?”  was 
asked.  “ It  will  not  do  to  have  men  teach, 
and  there  are  no  women  who  know  enough 
to  do  so.” 

“ Why  not  have  some  old  man  to  teach  ?” 


116 


LENG  TSO. 


spoke  Leng  Tso.  “ It  is  indeed  a sad  fact 
that  we  have  very  few  women  who  are  able  to 
teach ; hut  fit  some  women  to  do  it,  and  then 
we  shall  not  need  men  to  do  the  work.  We 
must  not  think  that  our  customs  are  perfect. 
If  custom  says  it  is  wrong  to  allow  a woman 
to  learn  to  read  when  a man  is  the  teacher, 
let  us  see  if  the  custom  itself  be  right. 
When  we  became  Christians,  we  became 
the  servants  of  God,  not  of  customs.  I serve 
God  rather  than  custom.” 

“ How  can  the  girls  and  the  women  come 
to  school  ?”  was  asked.  “ It  is  not  safe  for 
them  to  go  through  the  streets  each  day. 
How  can  there  be  such  a school  ? If  custom 
does  not  forbid,  bad  men  may  hinder.” 

“ I do  not  know  how  that  can  be  managed,” 
replied  the  Bible-woman,  “ but  the  foreign 
pastors  no  doubt  will  know.” 

“ Where  will  the  school  be,  if  one  is  open- 
ed ?”  inquired  a woman.  “ Will  a new  house 
like  the  young  men’s  school  be  put  up?” 

“ That  I cannot  tell,”  said  Leng  Tso.  “ I 
have  heard  Mrs.  Minturn  speak  about  it  to 
the  women,  but  she  did  not  say.  She  asked 
the  wife  of  one  of  the  pastors  if  the  old 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


117 


school  where  the  young  men  studied  could 
not  be  used  for  a while.” 

“ What ! that  building  ?”  inquired  a young 
woman.  “Why,  that  is  not  far  from  the 
homes  of  several  girls  who  might  go  to 
school  each  day  without  going  into  the  streets 
at  all.” 

“ I do  not  know  where  it  will  be  or  when 
it  will  be  opened,”  said  Leng  Tso ; “ but  I 
believe  that  the  foreign  pastors  mean  to  be- 
gin such  a school  soon.  Mrs.  Minturn  said 
so  a few  days  ago ; and  when  she  said  it,  she 
shut  her  lips  so  closely  that  I knew  she  meant 
it,” 

“ That  is  true,”  added  one  who  had  quiet- 
ly listened.  “ When  Mrs.  Minturn  speaks 
in  that  way,  something  follows  soon  after. 
Mrs.  Minturn  is  not  like  Middle-Kingdom 
women : what  she  says  she  always  means.” 

There  was  ground  for  the  rumor  among 
the  native  Christians  that  a girls’  school  was 
soon  to  be  started,  for  the  mission  had  already 
taken  measures  for  opening  such  a school. 

Few  plans  on  mission  ground  are  carried 
out  before  there  has  been  much  deliberation. 
First  the  missionaries  deliberate  before  they 


118 


LENG  TSO. 


ask  for  the  money,  and  then  the  society  at 
home  takes  a full  amount  of  deliberation 
before  the  money  is  granted.  Happy  is 
the  society,  and  twice  happy  the  mission,  if 
Christian  people  have  not  been  so  deliberate 
in  giving  that  the  money  is  wanting  when  it 
is  decided  to  grant  it. 

It  was  this  lack  of  money  that  made  the 
mission  in  Ha  Bun  hesitate  about  beginning  a 
girls’  school.  Appeals  and  arguments  many 
and  urgent  had  been  sent  to  the  Church 
at  home,  but  the  dollars  needed  did  not 
come ; promises  of  dollars  in  the  future  did  not 
come.  The  home  Church  may  have  regard- 
ed a girls’  school  as  a fancy  of  the  brain  of 
missionaries  with  peculiar  notions.  But  the 
mission  was  not  to  be  checked  in  what  it 
deemed  a work  of  almost  vital  interest. 

“ If  we  could  start  the  seminary,  why  can 
we  not  start  this  school  ?”  asked  Mrs.  Par- 
ton,  the  wife  of  the  young  missionary.  “ I 
am  sure  the  society  would  send  on  the  money 
in  time.” 

“Yes,  but  when  would  that  time  come?” 
inquired  her  husband.  “ It  will  not  do  to 
wait  until  the  millennium.” 


THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL. 


119 


“ Oh,  you  know  that  I don’t  mean  after 
many  years,  but  before  many  months,” 
responded  the  wife.  “ I wish  I were  rich : 
I would  build  the  school  myself.” 

“ 1 wish  you  were  rich,  for  then  we  would 
build  it  together,”  spoke  the  husband. 

“ What  do  you  mean  ?”  inquired  Mrs. 
Parton. 

“Are  not  we  one?  and  would  not  your 
riches  be  mine?  Did  not  you  promise  to 
share  with  me  all  you  are  and  have  ?”  asked 
he. 

“ I am  willing  to  share  all ; yes,  and  I am 
ready  to  give  you  the  largest  half  of  the 
mosquitoes  and  the  roaches.  Those,  I 
suppose,  are  part  of  my  lot  here,  and  to 
three-fourths  of  that  lot  you  are  welcome. 
But  they  seem  to  let  you  alone  and  vent 
their  ill-will  on  me.” 

“ Perhaps  they  know  that  you  and  I are 
one,  and,  as  you  are  the  one  that  suits  them, 
they  may  regard  me  a nonentity.  But  serious- 
ly, Winnie,  it  will  not  do  for  the  mission  to 
undertake  building  a girls’  school  now.  The 
home  society  is  already  in  debt,  and  we  dare 
not  ask  for  more  money.  Cannot  you  think 


120 


LKXG  TSO. 


of  some  plan  by  which  the  old  seminary 
building  may  be  of  service?” 

“ What ! that  wretched  old  set  of  rooms 
and  stairways  and  cuddy-holes?  I suppose 
we  might  make  it  do.  But  we  will  need 
money  to  carry  on  the  work  after  it  is 
begun.  Will  the  mission  allow  us  that  ?” 
“ I am  afraid  there  is  none  to  spare. 
Since  I have  been  made  treasurer  I have 
tried  to  see  if  some  money  from  the  appro- 
priations could  not  be  saved  in  different 
ways,  but  have  yet  to  find  where  a single 
dollar  can  be  kept  back.  If  I know  noth- 
ing else,  I know  about  economy ; for  I 
was  professor  of  it  during  my  four  years 
in  college  and  three  in  seminary.  I see  no 
way  in  which  the  treasury  can  let  one  dollar 
go  for  anything  new  without  making  some 
other  work  suffer.” 

“ What  can  we  do  ?”  asked  the  young 
wife,  almost  desponding. 

“ I suppose  we  can  whistle,”  replied  the 
husband ; “ that  is  what  we  boys  used  to  do 
when  we  wanted  to  keep  up  our  courage.” 
“And  we  girls  prayed,”  said  the  wife,  with 
a twinkle  in  her  eye. 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


121 


“ You  are  right,  Winnie.  We  can,  and 
we  should,  pray  more  than  we  have  about 
this  school.  We  prayed  about  the  other, 
and  it  came.” 

“ Yes,  after  all  did  what  they  could.” 

“ That  is  what  we  will  do  now.  But 
when  the  load  cannot  be  lifted,  why  tug  at 
it?” 

“ Stand  by  it,  and  call  for  help.” 

“ Bight  again.  We  will  stand  by  that 
girls’  school  and — No,  I won’t  say  it. 
We  will  stand  by  it  and  ask  the  Lord  as  we 
have  never  prayed  before  to  help  us  to  lift  it 
from  the  ground  by  sending  along  some 
strong  friend  to  lend  a shoulder.  I agree 
with  you  and  Mrs.  Minturn — so  do  the  rest 
of  the  mission — that  the  girls’  school  must 
come  next,  but  let  us  have  a little  breath- 
ing-spell before  we  go  at  it.” 

“Yet  while  breathing  you  can  talk  and 
help  plan,  can  you  not?” 

“ ‘ Talk  ’ ? Why,  I am  ready  for  that  any 
time ; it  is  the  work  that  troubles  me.  I 
can  talk  now  almost  as  easily  as  a woman.” 
“ I wish  you  were  able  to  say  as  well  too.” 
“ I do  not  wish  to  speak  of  my  good  qual- 


122 


LEXG  TSO. 


ities,  but  expect  you  to  notice  them  without 
my  speaking  of  them.” 

“ Because  I did  not  find  that  good  quality, 
I wished  to  remind  you  as  gently  as  possible 
of  its  absence.  But  pardon  me : I wish 
now  to  lay  aside  joking  and  talk  seriously. 
Is  there  nothing  we  can  do  to  get  money 
with  which  to  begin  the  school?” 

“ I can  at  present  think  of  no  way  to  raise 
the  money.  But  there  is  another  considera- 
tion : if  we  begin,  we  must  go  on.  To  be- 
gin the  school  will  require  a steady  outlay. 
Money  to  begin  it  is  not  enough.  Where  is 
the  money  to  come  from  after  we  have 
begun,  if  the  home  society  does  not  adopt 
it?” 

“ Will  not  they  adopt  it  if  we  begin  and 
show  how  necessary  it  is?  But  if  they  will 
not,  I believe  we  can  find  the  money  some 
way.  Only  let  us  start,  and  I am  sure  we 
can  continue.” 

“ That  is  good  faith,  Winnie,  but  poor 
business.” 

“Are  not  we  to  work  by  faith  and  to  use 
our  faith  constantly  ?” 

“ Yes,  but  you  will  fiud  that  faith  fails 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


123 


when  the  dollars  do  not  come.  Dollars  help 
faith  wonderfully  even  in  mission  work.” 
“The  dollars  will  come,  I believe,  and 
when  we  need  them.” 

“ I am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so.  I think 
they  are  needed  just  now,  and  as  soon  as 
they  come,  or  the  first  installment  comes,  I, 
for  one,  am  ready  to  say,  ‘Let  us  begin.’” 
“They  will  come;  see  if  they  do  not,” 
said  the  wife,  with  a determined  look.  “ But 
let  us  not  forget  to  pray  while  we  wait.” 

A few  days  after,  the  young  missionary  was 
disturbed  in  his  study  by  his  wife  entering 
with  a paper,  which  she  handed  to  him : 
“There!  I’ve  tried  and  tried  to  write  a 
letter  about  that  school,  and  cannot  succeed. 
If  that  will  do,  I mean  to  send  it;  if  it  will 
not,  I don’t  know  what  to  do.” 

Mr.  Parton,  taking  the  paper,  saw  that  it 
was  a note  to  a Scotch  merchant,  and  a 
warm  friend  of  the  Partons,  living  in  the 
place.  In  the  note  Mrs.  Parton  told  in  a 
few  words  her  anxiety  about  a girls’  school 
and  her  inability  to  begin  it  through  lack  of 
means,  and  then  asked  the  merchant  if  he 
would  help  in  any  way. 


124 


LENG  TSO. 


After  reading  tlie  letter  the  husband  said, 
“ That  sounds  all  right,  but  had  you  not 
better  consult  Mrs.  Minturn  first?  Her  judg- 
ment is  better  than  ours — than  mine,  at  least.” 
“ I have  talked  with  her,”  was  the  reply, 
“ and  she  is  ready  for  anything  of  the  kind ; 
but  I don’t  wish  to  show  this  to  her.  I am 
afraid  to  let  her  see  what  I write ; she  could 
do  it  so  much  better.” 

“ Then  why  not  let  her  do  it  ?” 

“ She  told  me  to  try  because  Mr.  Brown 
is  so  warm  a friend  of  ours.  She  said  that 
a note  from  me  would  have  more  effect  than 
if  it  came  from  her.” 

“ How  humble  you  ladies  are!  But  don’t 
send  that  note  yet;  take  a day  or  two  to 
think  over  it.” 

“ Why  should  I think  over  what  I have 
decided  to  do?” 

“ One  of  the  reasons  I would  suggest  is 
that  Mr.  Brown  is  away  and  will  not  be  back 
for  a week  or  two.  The  note  will  keep  as 
well  here  as  in  his  office.  Some  one  else 
might  read  it  there,  or,  seeing  your  hand- 
writing, might  say  that  you  are  correspond- 
ing with  other  gentlemen.” 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


125 


“Well,  what  of  it?  That  is  what  I am 
doing,  after  letting  you  see  what  I write. 
I am  not  ashamed  of  the  object  of  the  note. 
But  excuse  me,  Avon,  for  replying  harshly  : 
I have  bothered  my  head  so  over  this  that  it 
aches  and  I am  tired.” 

“Then  just  lay  away  the  note  for  a few 
days  and  rest  your  mind.  You  have  started 
your  part ; you  have  done  what  you  can  thus 
far.  Wait  until  you  can  do  more.” 

Mrs.  Parton  did  not  leave  the  matter  with 
the  note.  She  had  another  Scotch  friend, 
also  a merchant,  whose  wife  was  a very  warm 
and  confidential  friend  of  Mrs.  Parton.  Both 
had  come  to  the  country  at  the  same  time,  and 
bath  were  young,  so  were  specially  drawn 
together.  To  this  friend,  Mrs.  Campbell, 
Mrs.  Parton  told  her  story,  and  soon  inter- 
ested the  good  Scotch  lady  in  the  work  al- 
most as  much  as  was  the  young  missionary 
herself.  Both  spoke  to  Mr.  Campbell  and 
urged  him  to  aid  the  enterprise  with  money. 
He  promised  to  think  of  it  and,  if  able,  to 
give  something. 

While  this  anxiety  was  at  its  height,  but 
before  a dollar  had  been  given,  a steamer  was 


126 


LENG  TSO. 


seen  entering  the  port.  Soon  after  she  came 
to  anchor  word  was  sent  around  to  the  for- 
eign community  that  there  was  a sick  lady 
on  board  who  would  like  to  come  ashore  and 
remain  in  some  home  while  her  husband 
went  farther  with  the  steamer  to  attend  to 
business.  When  it  was  told  that  this  lady 
was  the  wife  of  Mr.  Smith,  the  publisher  of 
one  of  the  most  prominent  papers  in  China, 
no  one  called  on  the  vessel  to  invite  either 
him  or  his  wife  to  share  the  hospitality  of 
the  homes  on  shore.  This  man  was  the 
most  bitter  foreign  opponent  of  missions 
in  China.  His  paper  was  always  open  to 
assaults  upon  missionaries  and  ready  to  pub- 
lish the  most  absurd  stories  about  them,  but 
anything  in  their  favor  was  left  out  of  the 
paper.  Even  replies  to  attacks  upon  mis- 
sionaries could  with  difficulty  find  a place  in 
its  columns.  Mr.  Smith  was  disliked  for  other 
reasons,  and  for  those  reasons  none  of  the 
foreign  community  called  to  invite  him  and 
his  wife  to  their  homes  while  the  vessel  was 
in  the  port.  Though  the  steamer  remained 
in  the  harbor  nearly  three  days,  Mr.  Smith 
and  his  wife  stayed  on  board  until  the  day 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


127 


before  sailing.  Then,  when  it  was  evident 
that  others  did  not  intend  inviting  Mrs. 
Smith  ashore,  Mr.  Minturn  proposed  that 
she  be  invited  to  share  the  mission-home. 
It  was  just  like  Mrs.  Minturn  to  prompt 
such  a suggestion,  and  the  mission  was  ready 
to  have  it  carried  out. 

“ I will  give  up  my  room,”  said  Mr.  Wag- 
ner ; “ it  is  larger  than  the  spare-room,  and 
will  be  lighter  and  more  cool  and  airy.” 

“ If  she  is  half  so  warm  in  her  hatred  of 
missionaries  as  is  her  husband,  she  will  need 
plenty  of  cool  air,”  suggested  Mr.  Parton.  “ I 
will  feel  like  borrowing  a couple  of  large 
punkahs  * from  some  of  the  merchants  to 
keep  me  cool.” 

“ All  wives  are  not  like  their  husbands,” 
spoke  Mrs.  Parton,  gently. 

“ As  we  have  personal  proof  here,”  replied 
her  husband  as  he  gave  his  wife’s  arm  a sly 
pinch. 

“ No,  they  do  not  pinch.  But  I wish,  if 
pinching  is  a necessity  to  you,  that  you  would 
by  way  of  variety  try  your  own  flesh.” 

* Immense  fans  suspended  from  the  ceiling  and  worked  by 
servants. 


128 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Did  not  the  minister — and  he  your  own 
pastor,  too — say  that  we  are  one  flesh  ? Am 
I not  trying  the  pinching  on  my  own  flesh, 
then,  as  you  suggest  ?” 

“ There  are  times  when  one  and  one  make 
two.  I suppose  we  will  hardly  dare  speak 
of  mission  work  when  Mrs.  Smith  is  here.” 
“ I shall  not  trouble  her  with  anything 
relating  to  our  work,”  spoke  Mrs.  Minturn, 
“ but  will  not  refrain  from  speaking  about  it 
to  any  member  of  the  mission.  It  may  do 
her  good  to  hear  about  the  work.” 

“ Perhaps  she  will  become  interested  in  it, 
too,”  suggested  Mr.  Wagner.  “But  it  will 
seem  strange  to  have  here  in  a mission  family 
the  wife  of  the  most  bitter  enemy  of  missions 
in  China.  Who  will  go  to  invite  Mrs. 
Smith  ? — I think,  Mr.  Minturn,  that  you, 
being  the  senior  member,  are  the  one  who 
should  do  so.” 

“ I suppose  I should  go,”  replied  Mr  Min- 
turn ; “ and  I have  thought  it  would  be  well 
to  ask  Mr.  Smith  to  come  with  his  wife.  We 
might  invite  them  to  tea,  and  he  will  then 
have  an  opportunity  to  see  where  his  wife  is 
and  what  she  is  likelv  to  have  to  eat.” 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


129 


“ What  if  they  decline  to  accept  the  offer 
of  hospitality  ? asked  Mr.  Parton.  “ I 
would  hesitate  before  accepting  an  invita- 
tion to  have  ray  wife  stay  with  those  I had 
steadily  abused.” 

“ Perhaps  Mr.  Smith’s  paper  is  bitter 
against  missions  because  it  pays  best  to  be 
so,”  suggested  Mrs.  Minturn.  “ He  may  find 
his  paper  read  mostly  by  those  who  hate  Chris- 
tianity, and  to  keep  their  patronage  opposes 
missions.” 

“ That  is  a charitable  way  of  looking  at  it, 
but  it  shows  a lack  of  principle  in  him,  and, 
more  than  that,  it  shows  that  there  are  in 
China  a large  number  of  people  from  Chris- 
tian countries  who  are  enemies  to  religion,” 
said  Mr.  Parton. 

“ Why  is  it  so,  do  you  suppose  ?”  asked  the 
young  missionary. 

“ I fear  it  is  because  such  people  are  angry 
to  find  the  same  truths  and  the  same  gospel 
and  the  same  restraints  pressing  upon  them 
here  as  at  home.  It  does  seem  that  some 
men  come  here  to  get  free  from  all  religious 
restraint,  and  are  enraged  when  they  cannot 
find  such  freedom.” 


130 


LEXG  TSO. 


Mr.  Minturn  went  on  board  the  vessel, 
and  his  invitation  was  gladly  accepted  by  both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith.  The  lady  was  not  very 
ill,  but  had  been  suffering  from  seasickness. 

Both  Mr.  Smith  and  his  wife  accompanied 
Mr.  Minturn,  and  at  once  became  guests  at 
the  mission-home.  That  the  newspaper-man 
was  timid  none  who  knew  him  would  have 
suspected  until  he  appeared  in  that  mission 
family.  He  did  not  know  what  to  say  or 
to  do  except  sit  still.  He  did  that,  but  he 
looked  around ; and  if  any  object  in  the 
room  escaped  his  notice,  it  was  certainly 
very  small. 

When  the  youngest  missionary  began 
talking  to  the  publisher  about  newspapers,  the 
stranger  was  at  home,  but  seemed  to  wonder 
who  that  young  man  wTas  and  what  he  did  at 
a mission-house.  And  when  the  conversa- 
tion drifted  to  science  and  the  young  mis- 
sionary told  him  of  some  late  discoveries  in 
the  scientific  world,  Mr.  Smith  began  to  ob- 
tain a new  revelation  ; he  had  insisted  that 
missionaries  knew  nothing  of  science — in- 
deed, nothing  outside  of  their  work.  But 
when  Mr.  Minturn  pointed  out  the  tendency 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


131 


of  certain  movements  in  the  political  world 
of  China  and  spoke  of  the  effect  of  such 
movements,  Mr.  Smith  admitted  that  such 
seemed  to  be  the  tendency,  though  he  had 
not  thought  of  it  before.  Gradually  he  be- 
came talkative,  and  proved  himself  a pleas- 
ant guest.  What  were  his  opinions  of  the 
missionaries  may  never  be  known,  but  all 
that  afternoon  and  evening  he  seemed  to  be 
receiving  new  revelations  about  them. 

Mrs.  Smith  proved  to  be  a genial  guest. 
She  accompanied  the  two  mission  ladies  to 
their  work,  and  seemed  to  take  a real  inter- 
est in  all  they  did.  She  learned  to  talk  in- 
telligently and  earnestly  of  their  plans.  In 
about  two  weeks  her  husband  returned,  and 
was  again  for  a few  hours  a guest  at  the  mis- 
sion-home. As  the  steamer  left  the  same  day 
of  her  entering  port,  his  stay  was  short, 
and  with  its  close  Mrs.  Smith  departed. 
When  Mr.  Smith’s  offer  of  money  to  pay 
for  his  wife’s  entertainment  was  politely  but 
decidedly  refused,  the  man  found  a large 
addition  to  the  revelation  concerning  mis- 
sionaries. He  had  in  his  paper  insisted  that 
they  cared  for  money  only,  and  here  they 


132 


LENG  TSO. 


had  actually  refused  to  accept  what  was  fairly 
and  honestly  due  them.  He  was  too  polite 
to  insist  on  payment,  and  left  the  mission- 
home  saying  that  he  would  be  glad  if  he 
could  in  any  way  return  the  most  acceptable 
and  unexpected  favors  of  the  missionaries. 
Soon  after  his  return  twenty-five  dollars 
were  sent  to  Mrs.  Minturn  and  Mrs.  Parton 
by  Mrs.  Smith  to  use  for  starting  the  girls’ 
school,  or  for  any  other  work  connected  with 
the  mission  that  they  might  select.  Thus 
the  first  money  had  come,  but  from  an  un- 
expected source. 

When  Mrs.  Parton  showed  her  husband 
the  money  and  told  wdience  it  came,  he  was 
surprised,  but  said, 

“ So  the  Lord  has  begun  to  hear  your 
prayers ; yet  who  would  have  thought  that 
he  would  get  the  first  twenty-five  dollars 
out  of  the  pocketbook  of  the  worst  enemy 
of  missions  in  China?” 

“ Not  the  worst  enemy  now,  I am  sure,” 
spoke  the  wife,  “ for  I believe  that  Mrs, 
Smith  is  a friend  to  missions  and  will  influ- 
ence her  husband.  But  we  have  the  first 
money,  and  it  has  come  without  our  asking, 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


133 


except  from  the  Lord.  Did  not  I tell  you 
that  the  dollars  would  come?”  added  she, 
triumphantly.  “ Here  is  the  first  installment, 
and  you  will  soon  see  another.” 

“ Give  me  a woman’s  faith,  after  all,  and  a 
man’s  work  to  back  it,”  added  Mr.  Parton. 
“ I am  glad  that  your  faith  has  begun  to 
reap  its  reward.  You  and  Mrs.  Minturn 
have  believed  the  money  would  come,  and 
I did  too,  only  I was  all  the  time  afraid  it 
wouldn’t.  And  now  that  you  have  twenty- 
live  dollars,  what  do  you  propose  doing  ?” 

“ Keeping  you  and  the  rest  of  the  mission 
to  your  word.  You,  at  least,  said  that  as 
soon  as  the  first  money  came  you  would 
say  ‘ Begin.’  Now  say  it.” 

“ Begin.  There  ! I’ve  said  it.  Now  what 
next  ?” 

“ Oh,  but  you  meant  more  than  that : you 
meant  that  you  would  advise  opening  the 
school.” 

“ But  see  how  the  matter  stands.  You 
have  twenty-five  dollars.  You  will  need  to 
hire  a teacher,  furnish  rooms,  and  probably 
be  obliged  to  board  some  of  the  girls.  How 
far  will  twenty-five  dollars  go  toward  that?” 


134 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Far  enough  to  enable  us  to  start,  and  that 
is  what  we  wish.” 

“ Yes,  but  how  long  can  you  keep  on  ?” 

“ Until  another  installment  comes.” 

“ Faith  again.  Oh,  a man  has  no  answer 
to  a woman’s  faith,  and  he  may  as  well  give 
up  or  turn  the  matter  over  to  the  mission,  as 
I must  do ; for  really,  Winnie,  I cannot  give 
money  out  of  the  treasury  unless  all  agree.” 
“ Wait,  Mr.  Treasurer,  until  we  call  on  you 
for  money.  The  Lord  has  sent  us  this  twen- 
ty-five dollars ; and  if  the  mission  can’t  spare 
it,  he  will  send  us  more  as  we  need  it.” 

The  money  of  Mrs.  Smith  surprised  the 
mission  and  compelled  a new  discussion  of 
the  question  of  the  school.  The  arguments 
of  the  treasurer  were  regarded  as  sound  by 
all  but  the  two  ladies,  and  these  saw  no  rea- 
son why  the  first  steps  should  not  be  taken 
toward  opening  the  girls’  school.  Mrs.  Min- 
turn  was  not  as  sanguine  as  Mrs.  Parton  that 
money  would  soon  come,  but  the  note  had 
been  sent  to  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Campbell  had  been  visited  again,  with  more 
encouragement. 

Before  the  mission  had  decided,  a note  from 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


135 


Mr.  Brown  came  to  Mrs.  Parton,  and  in  it 
were  twenty-five  dollars. 

“ There  !”  said  she  to  her  husband  as  she 
entered  his  study  holding  the  money  in  one 
hand  and  the  note  in  the  other ; “ here  is  the 
second  installment,  and  unless  you  men  de- 
cide soon  the  third  will  be  received.  We 
have  fifty  dollars  already  ; why  not  begin  ?” 
“ That  does  look  more  like  it,”  responded 
Mr.  Parton.  “ Fifty  dollars,  with  more  to 
come  soon,  as  you  believe — and  will  soon 
compel  me  to  believe,  too — makes  me  think 
of  saying  to  you  ladies,  ‘ Go  on.’  ” 

A day  or  two  later  a note  from  Mrs.  Camp- 
bell was  received  saying  that  her  husband 
would  in  a short  time  give  twenty-five  dol- 
lars for  the  girls’  school,  but  just  at  present 
could  not  spare  the  money. 

“ Now  we  have  the  third  installment,” 
said  Mrs.  Parton — “ at  least,  it  is  promised, 
and  as  good  as  received.  What  will  you 
gentlemen  say?” 

“ I say,  ‘ Begin  the  school,’  ” spoke  Mr. 
Wagner.  “We  can  begin  it  on  a small  scale^ 
and  enlarge  as  able.  You  may  have  my 
Chinese  teacher  for  a while,  as  I am  going 


136 


LENG  TSO. 


away  to  visit  the  stations  in  the  country  and 
shall  be  away  a considerable  time.  So  there 
will  be  no  salary  of  teacher  to  pay.  Then  I 
will  pay  for  putting  up  seats  and  desks  in  the 
girls’  schoolroom.” 

“Oh,  Mr.  Wagner,  if  you  can  spare  your 
teacher  for  a while,  it  will  be  exactly  what 
we  need,”  spoke  Mrs.  Minturn.  “ He  is  a 
Christian,  and  an  elderly  man  and  an  ex- 
cellent teacher.  But  we  would  like  to  know 
if  the  mission  will  allow  us  the  use  of  the 
old  building  once  used  as  a boys’  school. 
I suppose  the  people  who  occupy  part  of 
it  will  be  willing  to  give  it  up,  as  they  have 
its  use  only  until  it  is  needed.” 

With  one  consent  the  building  was  appro- 
priated to  the  purposes  of  the  girls’  school, 
with  all  of  the  furniture  that  could  be  found 
in  it  belonging  to  the  mission.  After  no  lit- 
tle consultation,  the  plans  were  laid  and  ar- 
rangements made  for  opening  the  school  as 
soon  as  the  place  could  be  put  in  order.  In 
due  season  it  was  opened  with  several  day- 
scholars  and  some  boarders  who  lived  too  far 
away  to  come  each  day.  Thus  the  school  was 
started,  and  the  first  money  had  been  given 


THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


137 


by  a man  who  had  been  for  years  the  most 
determined  and  outspoken  enemy  of  mis- 
sions, perhaps,  in  the  whole  of  China. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  here  that 
Mr.  Smith’s  paper  experienced  a wonderful 
change  after  its  owner  returned  with  his  wife 
from  his  business-trip,  in  the  kindly  spirit 
shown  to  missionaries. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL. 

HEN  the  school  was  started  in  the  old 


building,  many  of  the  older  women  of 
the  city,  especially  those  who  were  Christians, 
visited  the  house  to  take  a look  and  have  a 
bit  of  gossip  with  the  matron,  and  with  the 
girls  themselves.  All  were  inquisitive  to 
see  what  kind  of  an  affair  a school  for  girls 
was.  Among  the  earlier  visitors  was,  of 
course,  the  Bible-woman.  She,  however, 
came  not  so  much  from  curiosity  as  to  see 
the  carrying  into  reality  of  the  hope  and 
prayer  of  her  heart.  As  she  met  the  teacher 
and  matron  and  saw  the  girls  in  their  room, 
and  saw  all  there  was  to  see  of  the  school, 
she  was  thankful  that  it  had  so  good  a 
beginning.  Many  were  the  kind  words  the 
girls  received  from  the  warm-hearted  woman, 
and  not  a few  were  the  bits  of  advice  she 


138 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


139 


gave.  The  girls  were  glad  to  welcome  Leng 
Tso,  for  she  was  one  who  had  not  forgotten 
girls’  feelings,  who  could  enter  into  sym- 
pathy with  all  their  likes  and  dislikes, 
and  who  was  ready  to  give  a word  of  en- 
couragement or  of  caution  when  needed. 

“ Let  me  see  your  sleejDing-room,”  said 
she,  on  her  first  visit  to  the  school ; and 
when  she  saw  the  neatly-kept  beds  and 
the  clean  room,  she  said,  “ Ah ! how  much 
nicer  this  is  than  it  bright  be  if  you  had 
only  a ground  floor  under  your  feet,  and 
not  even  a bed  on  which  to  lie  ! The  foreign 
teachers  give  you  better  than  very  many  of 
our  people  have  in  their  homes.  Learn  to 
keep  the  beds  and  the  room  nice  and  neat, 
and  thus  show  that  you  can  take  care  of 
what  is  given  to  your  charge.  Let  the 
foreign  ladies  see,  too,  that  gilds  of  the 
Middle  Kingdom  can  keep  rooms  as  clean  as 
they  can.  But  who  takes  care  of  the  sweep- 
ing and  the  beds?  Perhaps  you  do  not.” 

“ The  matron  sweeps  most  of  the  time,” 
was  the  answer,  “ but  each  of  us  takes  care 
of  her  own  bed.  Mrs.  Minturn  says  some 
day  we  are  to  have  a new  house  for  the 


140 


LENG  'ISO. 


school  and  it  will  be  much  better  than  this, 

and  every  two  girls — or,  at  most,  four  girls 

— will  have  a room  to  themselves.  Will 

not  that  be  nice  ? She  says  that  then  we 

will  be  expected  to  take  care  of  our  rooms 

altogether.  I will  be  glad  to  have  a room 

to  myself  or  with  some  friend ; that  will 

be  like  the  young  men  in  the  large  school. 

Have  you  ever  been  in  their  rooms?” 

“ No,”  answered  the  Bible- woman,  “though 

I have  visited  their  school.  But  thev  take 

«/ 

care  of  their  rooms  themselves,  and  I am 
told  that  some  of  the  young  men  keep  them 
very  neat.  You  girls  must  not  let  the  young 
men  prove  neater  than  you.” 

“ I wish  I could  see  their  rooms  and  the 
school  when  they  are  away,”  spoke  a little 
miss ; “ I would  like  to  see  how  the  school- 
room looks.” 

“Who  does  your  cooking?”  asked  Leng 
Tso.  “ Does  the  matron  do  it  all  ?” 

“ Oh  no,”  was  the  reply ; “ we  must  help 
her  and  learn  ourselves  to  cook.  Mrs.  Min- 
turn  says  that  part  of  the  work  of  the  school 
is  to  learn  to  take  care  of  a home  and  show 
others  how  to  do  it.  The  matron  said  that 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL. 


141 


we  may  be  teachers  or  wives  of  teachers  and 
preachers  ; then  the  women  would  come  in  to 
see  how  well  we  kept  our  homes,  and  would 
learn  from  us.  But  I don’t  like  to  cook ; I 
would  rather  study.” 

“ So  would  I,”  spoke  up  another  of  the 
girls.  “ I wish  the  matron  would  do  the 
cooking  and  let  us  do  the  reading ; she  is 
too  old  to  read  much,  and  we  are  too  young 
to  do  much  work.” 

“ But  you  are  to  learn,”  suggested  the 
Bible- woman,  “and  this  is  the  place  in 
which  to  learn.  The  matron  is  a good  cook 
and  knows  how  to  teach  you.  Some  day 
you  will  be  women  and  may  have  homes  of 
your  own  ; then  you  will  wish  to  know  how 
to  cook  well.” 

“ I will  get  a husband  who  can  cook  for 
himself,”  said  one  of  the  girls.  “ Many 
men  do  cooking  ; why  cannot  all  ? It  would 
be  such  an  easy  thing  then  to  keep  house.” 

“And  who  would  work  and  earn  the 
money  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

“Oh,  I mean  to  marry  a rich  man  who 
will  not  need  to  work,”  came  the  answer. 

“What!  would  you  live  in  idleness  all  your 


142 


LENG  TSO. 


life  and  do  nothing  for  the  good  of  others?” 
asked  the  Bible-woman.  “ Is  that  what  you 
are  liere  for  ?” 

“ What  are  we  here  for,  I should  like  to 
know?”  said  a quiet  young  girl.  “My 
mother  and  father  said  that,  as  the  foreign 
teachers  want  to  begin  a school  for  girls,  I 
might  go,  and  so  I came ; and  that  is  all  I 
know.  I came  here  because  they  said  so. 
I study  and  do  the  work  they  tell  me  to  do, 
but  I did  not  know  that  I was  here  for  any- 
thing special.” 

“As  you  grow  older  you  will  learn  what 
is  needed,  and  then  will  see,  I hope,  what 
you  can  do  and  what  you  are  here  for.  Our 
people  need  teachers  and  women  to  tell  them 
of  the  doctrine;  if  women  do  not  do  it,  no 
one  can,  for  you  know  that  the  foreign 
teachers  cannot  visit  your  homes.  Even 
preachers  of  the  Middle  Kingdom  cannot 
go  into  your  homes  and  tell  your  mothers 
and  sisters  of  the  doctrine,  so  we  must  have 
women  to  do  it.  Besides,  we  need  women  to 
teach  the  women  of  our  country  how  to  take 
better  care  of  their  homes,  and  how  to  cook 
and  sew  and  make  home  happier.” 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL.  143 


“Are  not  our  homes  happy  and  good?” 
asked  a girl,  in  amazement. 

“ Not  as  happy  and  good  as  they  may  be 
made,  and  as  we  hope  your  homes  will  be. 
It  is  partly  for  this  that  you  are  here. 
Then,  too,  you  are  to  learn  about  the  true 
God,  and  be  able  to  tell  other  women  whom 
you  meet  about  him,  and  try  to  bring  them 
to  Jesus  that  they  may  become  his  disciples.” 
“ I mean  to  be  his  disciple,”  said  one  of 
the  girls,  cheerfully  ; “ I told  my  mother  so, 
and  she  said  that  I might.  I mean  to  go  to 
the  inquiry-meetings  soon ; I am  waiting 
until  I can  answer  the  questions  better.  I 
mean  to  be  a Christian  as  soon  as  I know 
enough  to  keep  the  commands  and  obey  the 
doctrine.” 

“ Well,  that  is  one  of  the  things  you  are 
here  for,”  responded  the  Bible-woman.  “ The 
teacher  will  teach  you  not  only  to  read,  but 
to  read  the  Bible,  and  he  will  teach  you  how 
to  become  a disciple  of  Jesus.  Then  you 
are  to  learn  to  teach  others.” 

“Will  you  stay  to  worship  to-night?” 
asked  one  of  the  girls  as  Leng  Tso  was 
about  leaving  them.  “ We  all  sing,  and 


144 


LENG  TSO. 


those  who  can  read  follow  what  is  read ; and 
then  the  teacher,  or  sometimes  the  pastor  of 
the  church,  comes  in  and  prays  with  us. 
We  like  the  singing,  and  all  the  rest  too. 
You  will  like  it  if  you  stay.  Teacher  Lee 
is  so  kind,  and  prays  as  if  we  were  all  his 
children.  Will  you  stay  ?” 

“ Perhaps  so,”  replied  Leng  Tso  as  she 
started  to  have  a talk  with  the  matron. 

“ If  you  do  not  come  to  worship,  you 
must  come  see  us  again,”  said  one  of  the 
girls  ; “ we  want  to  see  you  and  have  you 
talk  to  us.  And  will  you  please  ask  the 
matron  if  she  will  cook  and  let  us  study  ?” 
To  this  last  request  Leng  Tso  made  no 
reply,  but  she  promised  to  visit  them  again. 

The  matron  and  Leng  Tso  were  well 
acquainted,  and  the  Bible-woman  was  glad 
to  see  her  friend  there. 

“ How  many  girls  have  you  all  together  ?” 
asked  she.  “ In  the  school  I see  only  nine. 
Do  not  some  come  and  go  home  each  day  ?” 
“ Yes,”  replied  the  matron  ; “ there  are 
nine  that  do  not  stay  here  to  sleep.  We 
have  eighteen  in  all,  and  shall  probably 
have  two  or  three  more  before  long.  We 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL.  145 

cannot  take  many  more,  as  there  is  not 
enough  room.” 

“ I wish  we  had  a large  building,”  spoke 
the  Bible-woman,  “ to  take  all  who  come.  I 
( wish  we  could  have  a school  for  a hundred 
girls.” 

“ ‘A  hundred  ’ !”  cried  the  matron,  drop- 
ping her  work.  “ What  would  we  do  with 
them  all  ? Who  would  take  care  of  them  ? 
When  all  eighteen  are  together,  they  make 
noise  enough ; I do  not  know  how  it  would 
be  with  a hundred.  I could  not  cook  for 
half  that  number ; it  seems  that  I have  now 
more  than  I can  do.  But  I shall  get  used  to 
it,  I suppose,  only  it  does  not  seem  the  place 
for  me.” 

“ Not  the  place  for  you  ? Why,  you  are 
the  very  one  to  be  here.  Who  will  attend 
to  such  -work  if  you  and  I do  not?  Here 
you  are  teaching  the  women  who  a few  years 
later  will  be  teaching  many  others,  and  they 
in  turn  others  still,  and  thus  your  work  will 
go  on  long  after  you  are  gone.” 

“ Teaching  others — yes ; but  what  ? I 
am  only  teaching  them  to  make  beds  and 
to  cook  and  wash  and  do  housework.  If  I 


10 


146 


LENG  TSO. 


were  teaching  them  the  doctrine,  that  would 
be  of  some  account ; but  this  is  nothing.” 

“ Why,  do  you  think  that  the  gospel  is 
for  the  soul  alone?”  asked  Leng  Tso,  in 
surprise.  “ Indeed,  it  is  meant  to  make  the 
body  as  well  as  the  soul  happier  and  better. 
Has  it  not  done  that  for  you  and  me?  And 
shall  we  not  try  to  make  it  have  even  more 
effect  on  others  ?” 

“ I did  not  think  of  that,”  replied  the 
matron ; “ but  it  does  not  seem  to  me  that  I 
am  doing  much.  I want  to  see  these  girls 
become  disciples  of  the  Lord,  but  what  am  I 
doing  ? What  can  I do  to  help  that  ? I 
am  here  to  teach  them  to  cook  and  take 
care  of  household  affairs.” 

“ That  is  not  all : you  are  here  to  show 
them  what  a Christian  woman  is  and  what 
she  should  do.  You  are  to  be  an  example 
for  these  girls  and  show  them  by  your  life 
what  their  lives  should  be.  They  will  watch 
and  imitate  you  ; of  that  you  may  be  certain. 
None  of  them  are  disciples  of  Christ,  are 
they?” 

“ None  yet,  though  two  or  three  have 
spoken  as  if  they  wish  to  be.  I hope  all 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL.  147 


will  soon  become  believers  in  the  Lord. 
But  do  you  think  that  they  will  watch  and 
imitate  me?” 

“ Surely  they  will,  and  by  walking  aright 
you  may  lead  them  in  the  way  to  the  Saviour. 
Then,  too,  by  speaking  a word  now  and 
then,  you  may  lead  them  to  think  of  the 
Lord.” 

“ That  is  true,  and  I have  done  that,  but 
it  is  so  little  to  do  that  it  seemed  nothing.” 
“ Remember  that  Jesus  said  of  the  woman, 
‘ She  hath  done  what  she  could  and  that  is 
all  he  expects  you  to  do.  If  you  do  what 
you  can,  you  will  bring  some — it  may  be 
all — of  these  girls  to  the  Lord.  What  a 
blessing  that  will  be !” 

“ If  I might  bring  but  one,  I should  be 
thankful.  Yet  it  is  difficult  to  work  so  as  to 
please  them.” 

“ Better  think  of  making  them  good  and 
faithful  women.  It  is  well  not  to  have  their 
ill-will ; but  if  you  try  too  hard  to  please, 
you  may  fail.  Think  rather  of  pleasing 
God  and  working  for  their  good.” 

“ They  want  me  to  do  all  the  cooking 
and  sweeping ; they  say  that  they  are  here  to 


148 


LENG  TSO. 


study,  and  I to  work.  Now,  I would  gladly 
do  all  the  work  if  I could,  and  I am  strong ; 
but  Mrs.  Min  turn  and  Mrs.  Parton  say  that 
the  girls  must  do  some  of  the  cooking,  and 
that  they  must  make  their  own  beds  and  take 
turns  in  sweeping  the  rooms.  The  girls 
do  not  want  me  to  make  them  do  it ; they 
coax  me  and  promise  many  things  if  I will 
listen.  When  I tell  them  what  the  teachers 
have  said,  they  say  that  the  teachers  will  not 
know  unless  I tell  them,  and  that  I must  not 
tell.  Now,  what  should  I do?  I wish  to  do 
what  will  please  all,  and  I wish  to  do  right.” 
“ Do  right,”  said  Leng  Tso,  decidedly.  “ Do 
what  Mrs.  Minturn  says.  She  wishes  the 
girls  to  become  fitted  to  take  care  of  their 
own  homes.  No  matter  what  they  may  ask 
and  promise,  you  are  to  do  what  Mrs.  Min- 
turn says.  What  would  she  think  if  she 
should  come  in  unexpectedly  and  find  that 
you  not  only  take  charge  of  the  work,  but 
do  it  all?  You  could  not  tell  her  a lie.” 
“ That  is  what  I have  thought.  I do  not 
wish  to  deceive  her,  and  yet  I do  not  wish  to 
displease  the  girls.  No,  I will  not  tell  a lie, 
for  I have  not  forgotten  what  the  pastor  told 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


149 


us  about  Ananias  and  Sapphira.  I do  not 
want  to  drop  down  dead.” 

“ But  it  is  not  from  fear  that  we  are  to  do 
our  duty  ; instead,  we  are  to  do  it  because  we 
love  God.  Don’t  forget  to  teach  the  girls 
how  wicked  it  would  be  for  you  to  deceive 
Mrs.  Minturn.  Tell  them  that  God  would 
see  and  know,  and  some  day  would  ask  you 
to  give  an  account  of  your  deceiving  Mrs- 
Minturn.” 

“We  must  teach  them  constantly,  and 
hope  to  see  them  improve  slowly.  I have 
been  with  the  girls  only  a short  time,  yet 
have  seen  an  improvement  in  them.” 

“ Are  not  all  of  them  from  Christian  fam- 
ilies ?” 

“ No  ; though  the  parents  of  nearly  all  of 
them  go  to  the  worship  in  the  chapels,  yet 
some  go  only  occasionally  and  are  far  from 
being  followers  of  Christ.  Some  have  only 
for  a few  months  heard  the  doctrine,  and 
such  can  have  given  their  children  little 
instruction.  Some  of  the  girls  have  no 
parents,  and  one  of  them  has  been  taken 
by  friends  and  placed  here  because  she  had 
no  home.” 


150 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Who  pays  for  the  food  and  clothing  of 
such  ?” 

“ The  foreign  pastors.  There  are  several 
others  whose  parents  cannot  afford  to  give 
them  food  here ; such  the  foreign  teachers 
support.  Of  course  those  who  live  at  home 
are  here  only  part  of  the  day,  and  those  who 
can  pay  for  their  dinner  here.  They  do  not 
bring  their  food  along,  but  all  take  dinner 
together,  that  all  may' seem  alike.” 

“ Do  those  who  stay  only  part  of  the 
day  help  at  the  housework  and  cooking  ?” 
“ Yes  ; all  are  taught  the  same  lessons,  and 
they  must  do  the  same  kind  of  work.  The 
girls  are  to  learn  to  become  good  housekeep- 
ers as  well  as  teachers,  and  all  are  taught 
what  will  best  help  fit  them  for  such  work.” 
“ Who  teaches  them  to  sew,  and  such  kind 
of  work  ?” 

“ Mrs.  Minturn  and  Mrs.  Parton  come  in 
the  afternoon  and  teach  what  I cannot  show 
them.  Mrs.  May,  who  has  just  returned,  will 
teach  them  also.” 

“ But  do  not  they  teach  other  things  ?” 

“ Oh  yes,  many  other  things.  They  teach 
them  to  read  books  made  by  foreign  teachers 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


151 


which  use  their  own  characters  and  our 
words.  Those  books  are  very  easy ; I can 
read  in  them.” 

“ I would  rather  read  our  own  writing,” 
said  Leng  Tso,  quietly.  “But  do  not  you 
teach  the  girls  to  sew  and  do  other  things 
besides  cooking  and  housework  ?” 

“ Yes,  I help  teach  them  to  sew  ; though, 
as  I said,  the  foreign  teachers  teach  them. 
But  they  also  teach  the  girls  to  write  the 
foreign  characters  and  to  learn  the  things 
taught  in  foreign  schools.  Then  they  teach 
them  from  the  holy  book  and  teach  them  to 
sing.  Some  of  the  girls  are  pretty  singers.” 

While  the  two  were  talking  the  gong 
sounded  for  evening  worship,  and  the  women 
went  to  the  schoolroom,  where  the  girls  had 
already  gathered.  Hardly  had  they  seated 
themselves  when  the  old  teacher  entered.  He 
was  a venerable,  fatherly  man  with  a face  that 
made  each  one  like  him  at  first  sight. 

A brief  description  of  the  old  teacher  may 
not  be  amiss  here. 

Hap  Liong  was  one  of  the  old  preachers 
of  the  mission.  When  the  school  was  de- 
cided on,  it  was  thought  best  to  get  a teacher 


152 


LENG  TSO. 


who  could  give  the  most  of  his  time  to 
the  school.  This  it  was  certain  Mr.  Wag- 
ner’s teacher  could  not  do  ; for  when  the  mis- 
sionary returned,  he  would  need  his  teacher 
again,  so  it  was  deemed  best  to  select  at  once 
the  man  who  should  remain.  None  appear- 
ed so  suited  to  the  position  as  the  old  preach- 
er. He  was  a man  of  fair  education  and  able 
to  read  quite  well ; besides,  he  wTas  a man  of 
noble  character  and  principle.  He  had  been 
a Christian  for  many  years — indeed,  was  one 
of  the  earliest  converts  of  that  part  of  China. 
Soon  after  he  became  a Christian  he  show- 
ed his  earnestness  by  giving  all  the  time  he 
could  spare  from  business  to  preaching.  He 
was  anxious  to  learn  more  about  the  truth, 
and  was  a careful  student  of  the  Bible  and 
a close  observer  of  the  missionaries.  This 
old  man  had  now  become  too  feeble  from 
age  and  hard  work  to  spend  much  of  his 
time  in  going  about  preaching.  To  let  him 
feel  that  he  was  doing  something  for  the 
cause  he  loved,  the  missionaries  had  given 
him  the  work  of  holding  a daily  preaching 
service  in  the  city,  near  his  home.  When  the 
girls’  school  was  opened  and  the  old  man 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


153 


placed  there  as  teacher-in-cliief,  he  was  hap- 
py. He  could  yet  preach,  and  in  addition  to 
that  work  might  help  train  the  girls  for  fu- 
ture work  in  the  great  cause.  More  than 
that,  he  would  to  a certain  extent  be  their 
pastor.  It  raised  the  school  in  the  estima- 
tion of  many  to  have  this  venerable  man  as 
teacher.  In  China  age  is  always  respected  ; 
nowhere  is  it  more  so  than  in  the  teacher  and 
the  guide  of  youth. 

When  all  were  seated  and  each  had  a 
hymn-book,  the  old  man  arose  and  said, 

“ Now,  great  family,  let  us  praise  God  by 
singing.” 

Then  the  hymn  was  read.  After  the  read- 
ing he  sat  down,  and  Hap  Liong’s  voice 
broke  forth  in  song.  The  voice  was  weak 
and  had  lost  its  steadiness,  but  the  other 
voices  soon  hid  its  defects,  and  a grand 
chorus  of  song  swelled  in  the  air  and  went 
out  into  the  street.  Some  of  the  voices 
were  sweet  and  pure,  and  some  were  other- 
wise ; some  sang  as  the  tune  was,  and  others 
as  they  supposed  it  might  be.  All  sang. 
In  a Chinese  audience  of  Christians  all 
sing.  That  all  sing  the  same  tune  cannot 


154 


LENG  TSO. 


be  asserted,  but  all  love  to  sing,  and  sing  as 
well  as  they  can.  If  they  do  not  all  sing 
on  the  same  key,  if  some  are  a half  octave 
too  high  and  others  as  much  too  low,  most 
of  them  seem  to  care  very  little  for  such 
variety,  and  enjoy  the  hymn. 

With  the  close  of  the  son^  the  teacher 
read  a portion  of  Scripture,  and  then,  in  a 
prayer  that  seemed  like  a father’s  committing 
his  children  to  God  for  the  night,  the  old  man 
presented  the  needs  of  all  at  the  mercy-seat. 

When  worship — which  often  did  not 
close  without  an  additional  song  or  two — 
was  over,  the  girls,  at  their  leisure,  started 
for  their  room,  and  the  work  for  the  day 
was  ended. 

After  breakfast  the  duties  of  the  day  were 
begun  with  worship.  After  a time  of  work 
to  clean  the  rooms  and  part  of  the  building 
used  for  the  school,  all  but  one  of  the  girls 
began  to  study  in  the  schoolroom.  One  re- 
mained away ; it  was  her  duty  for  the  week 
to  aid  in  the  tasks  about  the  house  and  in 
cooking.  Thus  each  took  a week  of  work 
instead  of  giving  time  entirely  to  study. 
To  the  girls  this  week  of  household  duty 


Chinese  School-Room.  Rage  155. 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


155 


was  dreaded,  and  she  who  could  escape 
deemed  herself  fortunate. 

With  this  gdimpse  within  the  school,  we 
take  the  reader  to  the  mission-home  again. 
Now  that  the  school  was  so  successfully 
begun,  half  the  anxiety  of  the  ladies  was 
over ; but  it  would  be  doing  them  an  in- 
justice to  say  that  they  gave  no  thought 
about  the  money  needed  for  the  future. 
While  they  were  carefully  devising  plans 
and  attempting  new  measures  for  making 
the  school  more  useful  they  gave  the  money- 
question  no  little  thought.  When  the  neces- 
sary furniture  for  schoolroom  and  household 
use  had  been  paid  for,  there  was  yet  some- 
thing left  of  the  seventy -five  dollars  for 
paying  the  current  expenses.  But  what 
were  a few  dollars  for  carrying  on  a board- 
ing-school with  nine  boarders  and  as  many 
more  day-pupils  who  were  partial  boarders  ? 

“ Now  that  the  school  is  started,  how  do 
you  propose  keeping  it  running  ?”  asked 
Mr.  Parton  of  his  wife.  “ It  is  not  a per- 
petual-motion machine,  I suppose,  that  when 
once  started  will  run  of  itself  until  worn 
out.” 


156 


LENG  TSO. 


“ I do  not  know  how  we  shall  get  money,” 
was  the  answer ; “ I know  we  must  have  it, 
and  before  long  too.  If  we  pay  out  all 
before  more  comes  in,  will  you  lend  us  for 
a while  from  the  treasury  until  we  can  get 
money  to  repay  ?” 

“ What  security  can  you  give?  This  firm 
does  not  loan  money  to  every  business  that 
may  ask  for  the  favor.” 

“ The  security  is  the  best  possible — the 
Lord  who  says,  ‘Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive.’  ” 
“ Well,  then,  why  not  apply  to  your 
security  direct?” 

“We  have  done  that,  and  the  money  will 
come,  but  may  not  be  here  on  time.  I am 
sure  that  we  shall  get  it.” 

“ What  is  your  reason  for  such  assurance  ?” 
“ I have  told  you  : we  have  prayed  for  it. 
That  is  what  we  did  for  the  money  with 
which  to  start.  It  came,  did  it  not?” 

“ Yes,  but,  as  my  memory  goes,  you  did 
two  kinds  of  asking.  First  you  interested 
Mrs.  Smith  in  your  work,  and  then  declined 
to  take  pay  for  her  stay  here ; then  you 
asked  Mr.  Campbell,  and  wrote  to  Mr. 
Brown  before  the  money  came.  In  other 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


157 


words,  you  used  all  the  methods  you  could, 
and  asked  the  Lord  to  bless  them.” 

“ Well,  as  we  have  done  what  we  could 
and  got  the  first  three  installments,  we  are 
waiting  for  the  next  three.” 

“From  whom?” 

“ I don’t  know.  The  Lord  will  show.” 

“ But  I think  that  you  should  do  more 
than  you  have  done.” 

“ What  can  we  do  further  ?” 

“ Write  to  the  Church  at  home.” 

“ Who  ?” 

“ You  or  Mrs.  Minturn.” 

“What!  I write  to  the  Church?  I could 
not.  How  must  it  be  done  ?” 

“ If  you  say  you  cannot  do  it  before  you 
know  how,  that  is  reasonable ; but  bow  will 
it  do  to  learn,  and  then  try  to  do  it?” 

“ What  can  I do  ? I have  done  all  I can.” 
“ You  have  not  written  to  the  Church  at 
home  and  to  the  papers,  stating  your  case, 
telling  the  story  and  asking  help.  That,  I 
believe,  will  be  the  way  the  Lord  will 
answer  your  prayers : he  will  direct  people 
to  send  the  money  after  they  know  where 
and  for  what  it  is  needed.” 


158 


LENG  TSO. 


“ What ! I write  for  the  papers  ? Never ! 
I have  never  done  such  a thing  in  my  life. 
How  would  it  look  to  see  my  name  in 
print  ?” 

“ When  I asked  you  to  come  to  China 
with  me,  the  same  objection  might  have 
been  offered — your  name  would  get  in  print 
and  people  would  talk  about  you,  and  all 
that  kind  of  thing;  but  you  did  not  hes- 
itate when  you  saw  it  to  be  a duty.” 

“ Oh,  that  was  different ; I meant  to  go 
where  you  did.  I did  not  think  of  the 
papers  then.” 

“ So  you  were  willing  to  do  and  endure 
all  for  the  sake  of  a homely,  harum-scarum 
scamp  like  myself,  and  are  not  you  willing 
to  do  this  for  the  sake  of  this  school  on 
which  you  have  set  your  heart,  and  for  the 
people  for  whom  you  are  so  anxious?  Yes,” 
and  the  voice  was  soft  and  tender — “and  for 
Jesus,  who  for  your  sake  and  mine  was  will- 
ing to  be  mocked  and  killed  ? Winnie,  it 
will  be  hard  to  do  it,  but  remember  it  is  for 
the  cause  to  which  we  have  given  our  lives 
and  for  Him  who  gave  his  life  for  us.  You 
can  do  it,  I know.” 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS'  SCHOOL. 


159 


“ Oh  clear  ! I cannot.  What  will  my  old 
friends  say  ?” 

“ Can’t  say,  I am  sure.  We  will  put  cot- 
ton in  our  ears  if  they  speak  loud  enough 
to  be  heard  across  the  ocean.  I hardly 
imagine  we  shall  need  the  cotton.” 

After  thinking  for  a long  time  Airs.  Par- 
ton  came  to  her  husband’s  study,  whither  he 
had  gone  to  his  work,  and,  wiping  away  the 
tears  that  were  yet  coming,  she  said, 

“I  will  try  it;  but  oh,  if  you  knew  how 
hard  it  is,  you  would  do  it  for  me.  How 
shall  I begin  ?” 

“Tell  the  story  as  if  to  friends  whom  you 
would  move  to  think  as  you  do ; imagine 
that  you  are  writing  to  people  who  do  noth- 
ing because  they  know  nothing  about  that 
which  interests  you.  Write  simply  to  give 
them  facts  as  clearly  and  briefly  as  possible, 
and  ask  them  to  aid  in  the  Lord’s  work.” 
“Oh,  how  can  Ido  all  that?  I don’t 
know  how  to  begin,  nor  how  to  write  after  I 
have  begun,  nor  how  to  finish.  I wish  so 
much  that  you  would  only  for  this  once 
write  the  letter.” 

“ It  will  be  useless  if  I do,  for  the  Church 


160 


LENG  TSO. 


will  not  listen.  You  received  the  money  from 
Mr.  Campbell  and  from  Mr.  Brown  ; what 
would  I have  gotten  had  I written?  Not 
one  cash.  That  will  be  the  way  at  home.” 
“ But  your  letter  brought  the  money  for 
the  seminary.” 

“ No,  but  Mr.  Minturn  and  Mr.  Wagner 
pledging  their  savings  for  it  did  the  work.” 

“ Why  not  do  the  same  now  ?” 

“ It  will  not  do  to  go  begging  on  too  many 
errands  with  the  same  infant  in  one’s  arms, 
Winnie.  The  Church  would  say  after  a 
while,  ‘ There  is  that  little-savings  story 
carried  around  again.’  No,  that  will  not  do. 
I can  think  of  no  other  way  to  get  money 
than  for  you  or  Mrs.  Minturn  to  write  to  the 
secretary,  and  through  him  appeal  to  the 
Church  direct.  You  can  do  it,  and  the 
money  will  come ; see  if  it  does  not.  My 
faith  is  rising  now ; and  when  your  letter  is 
published,  my  faith  will  be  up  to  the  high- 
water  mark.” 

Mrs.  Parton  went  to  her  room,  and  after 
hours  of  thought  and  tears,  writing  mean- 
while, she  returned  with  a long  letter,  which 
she  showed  to  her  husband. 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


161 


“ There !”  said  she  ; “ I cannot  do  better. 
My  head  aches  so  now  that  I can’t  think 
nor  write  another  word.” 

“ Then  don’t.  Put  the  paper  here  and  let 
us  go  out  for  a walk  ; it  will  do  us  both  good. 
And  let  not  a word  be  said  about  the  letter 
or  the  girls’  school  until  to-morrow.” 

“Why  not?” 

“ Because  you  have  done  enough  for  one 
day  and  are  tired.” 

“ But  I want  you  to  correct  and  put  the 
letter  in  shape.” 

“All  right;  I will  help.  But  it  is  past 
my  study-hour  now,  and  I need  rest  and  air; 
so  do  you.  Come,  put  on  your  hat  and  let 
us  go  out.” 

The  two  started  for  a walk ; but  if  Mr. 
Parton  expected  that  nothing  would  be  said 
about  the  girls’  school,  he  missed  his  expec- 
tation. The  talk  and  the  fresh  air  agreed 
better  together  than  he  thought ; and  when 
he  met  a little  China  boy  and  asked  him  grave- 
ly if  he  thought  it  likely  that  he  would  be  em- 
peror some  day  if  he  went  to  school  each 
day  and  studied  as  hard  as  possible,  the 
little  fellow  replied  that  he  did  not  want  to 
n 


162 


LENG  TSO. 


be  an  emperor,  but  wished  a kite  like  his  big- 
brother’s. 

Then  Mrs.  Parton  forgot  all  about  the 
school. 

“ What  did  you  ask  him  such  a question 
for  ?”  inquired  she.  “ I am  glad  that  he  gave 
you  such  an  answer.” 

“ Why,  I thought  he  ought  to  be  treated 
about  as  I was  when  a boy.  People  used  to 
tell  me  to  study  hard  and  go  to  school  regu- 
larly every  day,  so  that  some  time  I might 
become  President.” 

“ Well,  did  you  study  harder  for  it?” 

“ No  ; why  should  I?  What  I wanted  was 
a boat  with  a sail ; that  was  worth  more 
to  me  than  to  be  all  the  Presidents,  from 
George  Washington  down.  I didn’t  want 
to  be  President,  for  then  I would  have  to 
stand  stiff  and  starched  up  like  a stick,  with 
lots  of  people  looking  on  to  see  how  still  I 
could  stand  or  sit ; that  is  what  I thought  a 
President  was  for.  But  to  have  a boat — that 
I knew  was  worth  having,  for  I could  take 
off  shoes  and  stockings  and  wade  into  the 
water  to  sail  it.  There  was  fun  in  that.” 
Mrs.  Parton  almost  forgot  the  school  before 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


163 


the  walk  was  half  over,  and  came  back  rest- 
ed and  willing  to  wait  with  the  letter  for  a 
whole  night.  The  next  morning  she  urged 
her  husband  to  look  over  it  and  correct  it. 
This  was  done,  and  in  due  season  the  letter 
was  copied  ready  for  the  mail.  And  so  it  was 
sent  on  its  way. 

The  prayers  that  went  with  that  letter  are 
not  recorded  on  earth,  but  earnest  and  anx- 
ious were  the  petitions  presented  at  the  throne 
of  grace  that  the  letter,  or  something,  might 
bring  the  needed  money. 

With  the  next  mail  came  an  order  for  Mr. 
Parton  to  draw  on  the  mission  for  fifty  dol- 
lars that  had  been  paid  into  the  treasury  by 
one  of  his  friends  at  home,  to  be  used — so 
the  secretary  stated — to  buy  butter  with. 

“Well,  of  all  things!”  said  Mrs.  Parton. 
“ What  does  this  mean  ?” 

For  a moment  the  husband  thought,  and 
then  began  laughing  as  he  explained  to  his 
wife  and  the  mission ; for  the  arrival  of  the 
home  mail  was  a time  of  gathering  of  all  the 
members  together  : 

“ I wrote  to  good  Mr.  Wayland,  my  dear 
old  friend — But  here  is  a letter  from  him  ; 


164 


LENG  TSO. 


I will  read  and  see  if  it  adds  to  tlie  explana- 
tion.” 

The  letter  was  read,  and  the  young  man 
continued : 

“ Yes,  it  is  as  I supposed.  I wrote  to  Mr. 
Wayland  that  the  Chinese  did  not  make  but- 
ter and  all  the  butter  we  could  buy  was  at  a dol- 
lar a pound,  and  then  it  was  not  at  all  dear — 
indeed,  sometimes  had  a dollar  and  a half 
worth  of  strength  in  it.  Mrs.  Wayland,  who 
is  as  kind  and  good  as  her  husband,  sends 
this  fifty  dollars  that  we  may  have  good 
butter  to  eat.” 

“ But  where  will  you  get  the  good  butter 
in  China?”  inquired  Mr.  Wagner. 

“ I don’t  know,”  was  the  reply,  “ but  the 
fifty  dollars  have  been  sent,  and  are  to  my 
credit,  the  secretary  says.  I suppose  I will 
have  to  buy  a churn  and  milk-pans  and  then 
get  a cow  for  Mrs.  Parton  to  make  butter 
from.” 

“ You  will  milk  the  cow,  of  course  ?”  spoke 
Mrs.  Parton. 

“ Oh  no,”  was  her  husband’s  reply.  “ I 
will  furnish  the  stock  and  let  you  run  it  for 
the  half.  That  is  the  way  farmers  do,  only 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


165 


I make  a little  better  offer  than  many  give. 
But  we  don’t  need  that  money,  and  it  has 
been  given  to  the  mission  ; for  if  it  went  for 
butter,  Mrs.  Way  land  would  never  forgive 
us  if  we  did  not  share  it  with  all.  So  we 
may  think  at  our  leisure  what  to  do  with  it.” 
“ You  will  not  need  much  leisure  to  think,” 
quickly  spoke  Mrs.  Parton,  “ as  long  as  the 
girls’  school  needs  money.  I believe  that  is 
the  fourth  installment,  Avon.  It  is  double 
the  first  three  because  the  school  has  begun.” 
“No,”  said  Mrs.  Minturn,  “that  money 
was  given  to  you,  and.it  would  not  be  fair  to 
your  kind  friend  to  hand  it  over  to  the  mis- 
sion, even  for  the  school.” 

“ If  it  be  ours,  then  I suppose  we  may  do 
what  we  choose  with  it,”  said  Mr.  Parton,  with 
a twinkle  in  his  eye. 

“ Certainly,”  replied  both  Mr.  Minturn  and 
Mr.  Wagner. 

“ Very  well.  Then,  for  the  sake  of  peace, 
I will  hand  it  over  to  Mrs.  Minturn  and  Mrs. 
Parton  for  the  girls’  school.  I may  as  well 
do  it  first  as  last,  or  my  slumbers  will  be 
disturbed  by  other  than  dreams.” 

“ I don’t  care  what  you  say,”  responded 


166 


LENG  TSO. 


Mrs.  Parton,  “ if  we  get  the  fifty  dollars  for 
the  school.  I know  that  you  want  it  to  go 
there  as  much  as  we  do.” 

So  the  fifty  dollars  were  given  for  the  use 
of  the  school,  and  a letter  of  thanks  was 
sent  to  Mrs.  Way  land,  with  an  explanation 
of  the  use  to  which  the  money  was  put. 
And  as  soon  as  a reply  could  come  from  her 
another  fifty  dollars  for  the  school  was  sent. 

Meanwhile,  Mrs.  Parton’s  letter  reached 
home  and  had  a different  effect  from  what 
similar  requests  from  the  male  members  of 
the  mission  had  had..  The  letter  was  pub- 
lished with  warm  commendation  from  the 
secretary.  The  fact  that  for  less  than  twen- 
ty dollars  a girl  could  be  supported  and  ed- 
ucated in  China  startled  many,  and  the  ques- 
tion was  asked  by  not  a few  who  had  now 
and  then  a score  of  dollars  a year  to  give 
to  a good  cause,  “ Why  cannot  I pay  for  the 
support  of  a girl  in  China?”  Classes  in  Sab- 
bath-schools considered  the  matter,  and  won- 
dered whether  or  not  they  could  singly  or 
two  or  three  together  support  a girl  in  the 
school  in  China.  Before  the  letter  had  been 
published  many  days  the  secretary  received 


WORK  IN  THE  GIRLS’  SCHOOL. 


167 


letters  from  various  places  enclosing  money 
to  support  a girl  or  two  girls,  or  even  more, 
in  the  Chinese  school.  Letters  were  sent  to 
the  mission  requesting  that  girls  be  selected 
for  Sabbath-schools  and  classes  to  support. 
The  society  at  once  adopted  the  school,  and 
ordered  the  mission  to  pay  a certain  amount 
each  year  for  its  support. 

When  all  this  news  reached  the  mission  in 
China,  there  was  rejoicing,  and  none  was  more 
thankful  than  Mrs.  Parton.  But  she  was 
even  more  surprised  than  thankful.  The 
fact  that  her  letter,  so  insignificant  as  it 
appeared  to  her,  should  have  such  an  effect 
was  beyond  her  understanding.  She  little 
thought,  perhaps,  that  it  was  not  the  letter, 
but  the  necessities,  as  the  facts  showed  them, 
that  brought  such  a response  to  her  appeal. 
The  letter  was  a simple  statement  in  plain 
language  of  the  matter,  and  made  so  earnest- 
ly, yet  so  modestly,  that  every  one  reading  it 
could  see  that  it  was  written  by  one  who 
knew  of  what  she  was  writing  and  was 
prompted  by  one  purpose — to  elevate  and 
save  the  people  among  whom  she  lived. 

“Well,  you’ve  done  it  now,”  was  her  hus- 


168 


LENG  TSO. 


band’s  remark  as  the  two  were  alone  in  their 
room.  “After  all,  does  it  not  seem  that  the 
Lord  wanted  you  to  let  his  people  know 
what  he  had  for  them  to  do  where  you  are  ?” 

“ Yes,  that  seems  to  be  so,”  she  replied ; 
“ but  I had  no  idea  that  the  money  would 
come  so  easily.  Who  would  have  thought 
that  a letter — and  a letter  of  mine — would  do 
so  much  ? I am  now  glad  that  I wrote  it ; but 
had  you  known  what  that  letter  cost  me,  you 
would  not  have  insisted  on  my  writing  it. 
I felt  as  if  I would  be  willing  to  do  anything 
almost  rather  than  write  a letter  for  publica- 
tion.” 

“ No  doubt  of  it.  But  so  would  many  of 
the  timid  martyrs  rather  have  done  almost 
anything  to  save  themselves  from  publicly 
confessing  Christ ; yet  it  was  their  duty,  and 
they  did  it.  Do  you  think  one  of  them,  when 
it  was  all  over,  regretted  that  confession  ?” 

“ Why,  do  you  think  my  writing  that  let- 
ter was  like  confessions  of  the  martyrs  ?” 

“ No,  it  was  not  martyrdom,  nor  such  con- 
fession, but  it  was  doing  what  you  could  for 
Christ;  and  he  has  honored  your  work.” 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW. 

WE  must  go  back  in  our  story  again  to 
the  time  of  the  persecution  of  the 
Thau  Pau  Christians.  For  several  months 
they  remained  in  exile  at  the  Foo  city,  but 
then  were  allowed  to  return  to  their  native 
village,  and  even  to  worship  God  within 
the  place.  The  people,  though  bitter  against 
them  and  their  religion,  were  compelled  by 
the  government  to  allow  them  to  remain  in 
peace  in  their  homes.  The  property  stolen 
from  them  was  partly  returned. 

For  a while  the  Christians  were  very 
quiet,  keeping  the  Sabbath,  however,  and 
worshiping  God  in  their  homes,  but  so  as  to 
make  little  noise.  Each  Sabbath  they  met 
at  the  home  of  Liong  to  hold  a quiet  religious 
meeting.  As  the  enemies  of  the  returned 
exiles  saw  that  the  government,  if  com- 
pelled by  the  foreigners,  would  punish  per- 

169 


170 


LENG  TSO. 


secution,  they  vented  their  hatred  in  words 
rather  than  in  acts.  Even  these  words  be- 
came fewer  and  less  hateful,  as  the  Christians 
proved  themselves  kind  and  meek  of  spirit. 
It  was  not  long  before  regular  service  was 
held  each  Sabbath  in  Liong’s  home,  and 
at  length  the  Christians  grew  bold  enough 
to  hold  it  with  open  doors. 

“We  must  have  a teacher,”  soon  became 
the  spoken  desire  of  the  people ; and  their 
friend  Khiau,  whom  at  the  beginning  of 
this  story  we  have  seen  as  the  preacher, 
was  sent  to  remain  a part  of  the  time  as 
the  preacher  in  charge. 

A preacher  made  a chapel  necessary,  for 
it  was  not  best  to  hold  the  service  in  the 
home  of  Liong : there  was  likely  to  be  too 
much  disturbance;  nor  was  it,  for  other 
reasons,  a convenient  place.  But  where 
should  a chapel  be  found  ? Outside  of  the 
circular  lau  were  several  small  houses,  and 
to  these  others  were  added  as  dwellings 
when  the  old  lau  became  too  small.  But 
these  buildings  either  were  unfit  for  the 
purpose  or  were  owned  by  enemies  of  the 
gospel.  Standing  on  the  edge  of  a dirty 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  171 


pond — really,  partly  in  it — was  a small  low 
building  with  mud  walls  and  a couple  of 
square  holes  for  windows.  This  belonged 
to  Liong.  He  had  no  special  use  for  it,  and 
said  that  if  the  mission  wished  he  would  let 
them  have  it  for  a chapel.  Since  no  other 
building  could  be  obtained,  this  was  taken 
and  fitted  up.  A partition  divided  it  into  two 
rooms,  one  to  be  used  as  a place  of  worship 
and  the  other  for  the  preacher,  or  for  the 
missionaries  should  they  visit  Thau  Pau. 
Humble  and  poor  though  it  was,  the  little 
chapel  was  thankfully  set  apart  by  the 
people  for  the  worship  of  God.  Rarely  has 
the  gospel  started  in  a humbler  place  or  with 
less  attractive  surroundings.  But  a few  dec- 
ades hence,  when  those  who  were  young  then 
are  old  and  have  seen  what  the  gospel  has 
done  and  the  progress  it  has  made  since  the 
first  regular  service  was  held  in  that  little 
low,  dark  chapel,  they  may  well  say,  “ What 
hath  God  wrought !” 

The  missionaries  were  not  anxious  to  have 
a large  or  fine  chapel  at  Thau  Pau,  for  the 
place  was  too  far  out  of  the  way  to  be  a 
centre  of  work.  They  hoped  as  soon  as 


172 


LENG  'ISO. 


possible  to  reach  the  town  of  Sio  Ke,  a num- 
ber of  miles  to  the  north-west,  where,  if  a 
foothold  could  be  gained,  the  work  of  the 
gospel  would  have  a central  position  from 
which  to  branch  out  in  all  directions.  Toa 
Aw  was  on  the  road  to  that  large  and  im- 
portant place.  Had  the  missionaries  chosen, 
they  would  have  selected  Thau  Pau  as  about 
the  last  place  in  that  section  of  the  country  in 
which  to  start  the  mission  work,  and  Toa  Aw 
would  not  have  been  chosen  much  sooner,  ex- 
cept that  it  lay  nearer  Sio  Ke.  But  God’s 
ways  are  not  as  man’s.  By  a sudden  leap, 
without  the  knowledge,  much  less  the  plan 
and  effort,  of  men,  the  gospel  had  stepped 
over  large  towns  and  villages  and  taken  a 
foothold  in  this  little  out-of-the-way  village 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains. 

Some  time  after  the  chapel  had  been 
opened,  Liong  invited  Soe  to  attend  the  ser- 
vices there.  The  invitation  was  accepted,  and 
Soe  spent  his  first  Sabbath  in  a Christian 
assembly.  He  professed  to  do  so  only  as  a 
token  of  friendship  to  Liong,  but  in  his 
heart  was  a longing  to  know  more  of  this 
new  religion.  He  could  not  get  from  his 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  173 


mind  the  things  that  Liong  had  told  about 
this  God  and  his  sending  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  die  for  men.  No  more  careful  hear- 
er than  Soe  was  in  the  little  chapel  that  day. 
He  listened  and  watched,  and  watched  and 
listened,  until  the  very  close,  when  he  had 
many  questions  to  ask  of  his  friend  and  of 
the  preacher. 

“ If  this  be  all  true,”  said  he,  after  a 
while,  “ how  happens  it  that  foreigners — 
who,  as  you  say,  have  known  these  doctrines 
for  many  hundred  years — did  not  come  to 
the  Middle  Kingdom  before  to  tell  the 
people  about  this  God?  If  the  religion 
be  true,  why  has  the  world  not  known  it 
before  ? Hid  the  people  of  foreign  countries 
want  all  the  good  themselves,  and  want  the 
Middle  Kingdom  people  to  have  all  the  evil?” 

Kliiau  could  give  no  satisfactory  answers 
to  many  of  Soe’s  inquiries,  and  excused  him- 
self by  saying  that  he  was  but  a disciple 
himself,  learning  all  he  could,  while  he 
taught  what  little  he  knew  that  he  might 
save  as  many  as  possible. 

“ But,”  said  he,  “ I know  that  this  is 
truth  : ‘ God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 


174 


LENG  TSO. 


his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lievetli  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.’  I believe  in  him  and  have 
everlasting  life.” 

“ What ! will  you  never  die  ?”  asked  Soe. 
“ Does  this  new  religion  do  that  for  you  ? 
Don’t  the  people  of  foreign  lands  die,  either, 
if  they  become  disciples  ?” 

“Oh  yes,  they  die,”  replied  Khiau,  “and 
so  will  I ; but  there  is  another  death  after  that, 
and  it  is  of  this  I spoke.  The  second  death 
is  the  awful  one,  because  it  never  stops.” 

“ ‘Second  death  ’ ?”  asked  the  man.  “ What 
is  that?  How  many  deaths  can  any  one 
die?  When  men  die,  do  not  their  spirits  go 
into  the  world  of  spirits  ?” 

“Yes,”  replied  the  preacher,  “and  there 
the  spirit  begins  to  die ; but  it  cannot  die 
entirely  : it  continues  to  die  for  ever  and 
ever.  That  death  is  like  the  sky.  You  can 
look  up  into  it  and  see  a great  way ; but  if 
you  were  to  go  into  the  sky,  you  would  find 
that  you  could  see  just  as  far  after  you  had 
gone  a long  distance  as  you  could  at  first, 
and  so  you  might  go  on,  and  yet  never  find 
an  end.” 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TOA  AW.  175 


Soe  shook  his  head  and  was  unable  to 
understand,  so  for  a moment  was  silent. 
Then  he  asked, 

“ How  do  you  get  this  life  ? How  do  you 
escape  from  this  death  that  you  speak  of?” 

Khiau  replied, 

“ You  must  pray  the  great  and  true  God 
to  give  you  this  life,  and  must  trust  him  to 
do  it.  He  has  said  that  he  will,  and  he  will 
keep  his  word.” 

“ How  must  I believe  ?”  asked  the  man. 

“ The  holy  book  tells  about  it.  We  believe 
the  books  of  the  Middle  Kingdom,  so  must 
we  believe  this  book.” 

“ But  we  don’t  believe  all  the  books  of  the 
Middle  Kingdom,”  persisted  Soe  ; “ some  of 
them  are  not  true,  and  how  do  we  know  that 
this  is?” 

“ If  you  were  sick,  and  a physician  should 
give  you  medicine  after  you  had  tried  all 
other  physicians  in  vain,  and  his  medicine 
cured  you,  would  you  not  say  that  his  was 
the  medicine  for  your  disease  ?” 

“ Yes,  that  I would,”  replied  Soe. 

“ Then,  if  you  found  others  sick  as  you 
were,  and  you  gave  them  the  same  medicine 


176 


LENG  TSO. 


and  it  cured  them  and  all  to  whom  you  gave 
it,  would  not  you  think  it  was  meant  for  such 

disease  ?” 

“ Yes,  and  I would  tell  everybody  about 
it,”  spoke  the  man,  eagerly.  “ That  was  the 
way  with  Liong  when  he  and  Gan  came  back 
from  the  foreign  hospital.  I wish  the  for- 
eign doctors  there  could  cure  my  sore  foot. 
Do  you  think  they  could  ?” 

“ I am  not  sure,”  replied  Khiau,  “ but 
they  would  be  willing  to  try.  You  might 
go  down  and  see ; they  will  not  charge  you 
anything.  But  let  me  go  on.  What  such 
medicine  would  be  for  the  body  the  doctrine 
is  for  the  soul  that  is  sick.” 

“ How  do  you  know  that  the  soul  is  sick  ?” 
asked  Soe,  doubtingly. 

“ How  do  you  know  that  people  have  a 
fever  ?”  asked  Khiau.  “ By  seeing  how  they 
look  and  what  they  do.  But  many  men  who 
have  a fever  say  they  are  well  and  wish  to  go 
to  work,  yet  they  are  too  sick  to  know  what 
they  need  or  what  they  are.” 

“ That  is  so,”  responded  the  man. 

“ When  one  has  had  the  fever  and  has 
been  made  well,  he  knows  about  it,”  con- 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  177 


tinued  Kliiau  ; “ he  knows  that  he  has  been 
cured.  That  is  the  way  with  the  soul. 
Every  one’s  soul  is  sick ; we  are  born  so. 
Now,  the  only  medicine  that  will  make 
the  soul  well  is  the  new  religion.  I know 
that  it  will  make  people  well,  for  I have 
tried  it.  I saw  that  I was  sick  after  I had 
taken  some  of  the  medicine,  for  that  is  what 
it  does  at  first : it  shows  people  how  sick 
they  are,  and  then  it  makes  them  better  if 
they  will  continue  taking  it.” 

“ Is  that  the  way  ?”  asked  Soe,  with  much 
deeper  interest  than  he  had  yet  shown.  “ I 
begin  to  see  how  it  is.” 

“ The  soul  has  sickness  as  the  body  has,” 
continued  Kliiau,  “ only  the  soul  cannot  die 
of  its  disease ; it  keeps  growing  more  and 
more  ill  all  the  time.  There  is  no  medicine 
but  what  the  true  God  gives,  who  made  the 
soul  and  knows  all  about  it.” 

“ What  is  the  medicine  ?”  asked  Soe. 
‘‘How  do  you  take  it?  I want  to  know 
more  about  it.” 

“ The  medicine  is  what  this  holy  book 
teaches.  It  tells  us  to  believe  in  the  true 
God  and  make  him  ours;  it  tells  that  he 
12 


178 


LENG  TSO. 


gave  his  Son  to  die  for  us — that,  since  we 
were  sinners,  we  would  all  have  perished 
if  God’s  Son,  Jesus,  had  not  died  to  make 
an  atonement ; that  is,  to  pay  the  price  for  us. 
He  so  loved  us  that  he  was  willing  to  come 
to  the  world  and  die  for  us.  Now,  it  tells 
us  to  take  all  this  and  believe  it  and  act  on 
it.  Since  Jesus  has  died  for  our  sins,  we  are 
to  believe  that  he  is  our  Saviour  and  take  him 
as  such.  We  are  to  give  our  whole  souls  to 
his  care  and  believe  that  he  will  save  us  from 
this  eternal  death  because  he  says  he  will, 
and  because  we  trust  him  to  do  it.  We  must 
believe  that  he  does  this,  not  because  we  are 
good  or  worthy,  but  because  he  loves  us. 
Then,  when  we  have  done  all  this,  we  must 
serve  him.  No,  we  must  begin  to  do  his 
will,  to  try  to  obey  and  please  him,  at  once, 
as  soon  as  we  become  his  servants.” 

Through  all  this  explanation  Soe  listened 
attentively,  and  then  said, 

“ It  is  well ; I will  think  of  it  and  learn 
more.” 

The  time  for  afternoon  service  soon  came, 
and  Soe  remained  an  attentive  listener  to  the 
close,  when  he  went  home. 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  179 


Soe  said  nothing  about  the  new  religion  in 
Toa  Aw  except  to  his  family  ; he  remember- 
ed the  disturbance  the  enemies  of  the  gos- 
pel had  created  at  Thau  Pau,  and  he  wanted 
nothing  of  the  kind  in  his  own  village.  He 
thought,  though,  that  he  would  not  allow  any 
who  might  choose  to  become  Christians  in 
Toa  Aw  to  suffer  as  had  the  Christians  of 
Thau  Pau.  He  knew  wliat  course  he  would 
pursue,  and,  being  the  one  who  owned  most 
of  the  property  there,  he  knew  that  his  word 
would  have  effect.  Perhaps  he  wished  that 
some  of  his  own  village  would  become  Chris- 
tians, but  none  of  them  knew  much  about 
the  new  doctrine ; not  one  of  them  was  half 
as  much  interested  in  it  as  he.  He  was  not 
ready  to  accept  the  new  God  as  his ; he  was 
only  ready  to  defend  any  one  who  should 
accept  him.  Just  there  Soe  stood  as  he 
reached  home  that  night.  He  was  very 
silent,  and  answered  the  questions  of  others 
in  the  fewest  words  possible.  He  said  that 
Liong  and  his  friends  were,  as  far  as  he 
knew,  getting  on  quietly  with  the  rest  of 
the  people  and  he  hoped  there  would  be 
no  difficulty. 


180 


LENG  TSO. 


Soe  was  unusually  thoughtful  that  week. 
It  was  a matter  of  concern  to  many,  for 
all  liked  the  good-hearted  man,  and  each 
took  an  interest  in  his  welfare  and  comfort. 
When  asked  if  he  was  sick,  he  several  times 
said  yes,  that  his  soul  was  sick,  but  corrected 
himself  at  once  and  said  that  he  was  not 
much  ill,  nor  had  he  much  trouble ; he  was 
only  thinking.  The  next  Sabbath  he  had 
an  excuse  to  go  over  to  Thau  Pau,  and  went 
early.  He  did  not  come  back  again  until 
near  night — even  later  than  the  previous 
week.  Again  he  questioned  the  preacher 
and  the  other  Christians  as  to  how  this  new 
doctrine  made  a man  feel  and  what  there  was 
in  it  that  would  make  the  heart  light.  They 
seemed  light-hearted,  and  he  felt  sad.  His 
heart  was  as  heavy  as  a stone,  he  told  Liong 
when  the  two  were  alone,  and  he  wondered 
what  could  have  made  it  so.  He  was  not 
accustomed  to  be  so  gloomy.  Perhaps  it 
was  because  he  thought  so  much  of  what  a 
sinner  he  must  be,  to  make  the  Son  of  God 
come  from  heaven  to  die  for  him — if,  he 
added,  this  religion  of  which  Ivhiau  said  so 
much  was  true. 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  181 


“ If  it  be  not  true,”  replied  his  friend, 
“ it  is  strange  that  it  should  trouble  your 
heart.  Shadows  do  not  strike  us  so  that 
we  feel  them.” 

“ I feel  this,”  spoke  Soe,  “ and  it  hits  me 
hard  ; it  has  made  me  sore,  and  the  sores  are 
like  the  one  on  my  foot — a running  sore. 
Will  they  be  like  that,  always  running, 
always  sore?  Is  there  nothing  to  heal?” 

“Yes,  there  is,”  said  Liong,  joyfully; 
“ the  great  Physician  will  heal.  Ask  him 
to  send  the  medicine  to  your  heart  and 
make  you  well.” 

“You  know  him  better  than  I,”  replied 
Soe ; “ will  you  tell  him  ? I will  go  with 
you,  for  I want  him  to  see  that  I am  the 
one,  and  that  I mean  what  you  say.” 

“Yes,  I will,”  said  Liong;  “and  then 
you  ask  too.” 

“ Don’t  do  it  out  here,  nor  in  your  home, 
where  all  will  hear,”  spoke  Soe.  “ Let  us 
go  to  the  woods,  where  no  one  will  hear.  I 
do  not  want  the  people  of  Toa  Aw  to  know 
about  this  yet.” 

The  two  went  to  the  woods  after  the 
morning  service,  as  if  for  a walk,  and  there, 


182 


LENG  TSO. 


away  from  men,  they  kneeled  in  prayer. 
To  Soe  it  was  a time  of  sad  and  gloomy 
foreboding.  He  was  thinking  of  the  second 
death  and  his  sins  that  made  him  worthy 
of  such  a punishment.  Instead  of  Liong’s 
prayer  giving  relief,  it  seemed  to  add  to  the 
trouble  of  the  afflicted  Soe.  For  a time  he 
was  too  much  in  fear  and  doubt  to  pray, 
but,  encouraged  by  the  words  of  his  friend, 
he  added  a few  petitions,  and  then  the  two 
returned  to  the  chapel  and  to  the  afternoon 
service.  Soe’s  face  revealed  his  feelings  very 
plainly,  and  Khiau  saw  that  the  man  was  in 
trouble.  The  words  of  the  speaker  were 
directed  to  give  relief  to  the  poor  penitent, 
and  were  not  without  effect. 

At  the  close  of  the  service  Soe  asked  the 
preacher, 

“ Did  you  say  that  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  cleanses  from  all  sin  ? Does  that 
mean  mine?” 

“ Yes,  all,”  responded  the  preacher. 

“ But  will  it  do  so  to  all  who  come,  no 
matter  how  many  and  for  how  long?” 

“For  all,  and  for  all  time,”  answered 
Khiau. 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  183 


“Then  it  will  last  always.  How  can  it?” 
“ Off  in  the  mountain,”  replied  the 
preacher,  “ there  is  a fountain  that  long 
before  you  and  I and  our  fathers  were  horn 
sent  out  its  cool  water  for  men  and  beasts  to 
drink.  It  has  been  running  ever  since,  and 
to-day  is  as  full,  as  clear  and  as  good  as  it 
was  hundreds  of  years  ago.  That  is  the 
way  with  the  blood  of  Jesus.  It  is  a foun- 
tain, and  it  is  opened  for  sin  and  all  un- 
cleanness. It  will  cleanse  you  as  it  has 
many  thousands  before  you  were  born.” 

“A  fountain  ?”  said  Soe  to  himself — “ a 
fountain  that  never  ceases  to  flow?  Yes, 
that  is  what  I want — a fountain  that  will 
carry  away  my  sins  far  from  me,  and  will 
yet  be  running  pure  and  clear  for  others. 
Yes,  that  is  the  fountain  for  me. — And  may 
all  who  will  be  cleansed  by  this  fountain  ?” 
asked  he  of  the  preacher. 

“Yes,  all,”  was  the  response;  “and  you 
may  be  cleansed  to-day  if  you  only  will. 
Jesus  says  ‘whosoever  will,’  and  that  means 
you.” 

“ True,  true,”  replied  Soe  ; “ and  I will — 
I will !” 


184 


LENG  TSO. 


With  a little  more  questioning  Soe  left  for 
his  home.  He  went  with  a lighter  heart, 
but  not  with  perfect  satisfaction.  He  was 
like  the  blind  man  who  saw  men  as  trees 
walking,  but  the  dimness  of  sight  was  pass- 
ing away,  and  he  began  to  see  clearly.  It 
was  not  a sudden  light,  nor  startling ; and 
when  the  full  sight  was  given,  he  wondered 
why  he  had  not  seen  before.  It  was  so 
simple  to  believe  and  let  Jesus  do  the  rest 
that  he  could  not  understand  why  he  had 
failed  sooner  to  understand. 

Soe  was  not  so  quiet  after  the  second 
Sabbath  as  he  had  been  after  his  first  at- 
tendance at  Christian  worship,  but  he  was  not 
sure  what  he  ought  to  do  as  to  telling  others 
about  it.  He  wanted  no  trouble  in  Toa  Aw, 
and  yet  he  wanted  all  to  know  what  he  did. 
After  thinking  for  a time  he  decided  to  wait 
and  have  a talk  with  the  preacher  the  next 
Sabbath  and  learn  more  clearly  his  duty. 
He  was  ready  to  do  it,  but  wished  to  know 
surely  what  it  was,  lest  by  haste  he  might 
cause  disturbance.  He  had  always  felt  that 
better  management  at  Thau  Pau  would  have 
prevented  the  persecution.  He  did  not 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  185 


remember  that  the  people  in  the  two  places 
were  unlike,  and,  more  than  that,  that  Liong 
and  himself  were  very  unlike.  Both  were 
leading  men,  but  Liong  was  more  willful 
and  overbearing,  more  outspoken,  though 
not  more  decided,  but  less  ready  to  give 
others  the  benefit  of  their  opinions.  While 
Liong  was  a leader,  he  was  one  to  arouse 
more  enmity  and  make  far  more  enemies 
than  Soe ; so  when  the  people  at  Thau  Pau 
had  an  opportunity  to  repay  Liong  and 
show  their  power,  they  were  quick  to  do  it. 

The  next  Sabbath,  Soe  started  for  Thau 
Pau  again,  but  not  alone : he  took  with  him 
two  of  his  friends  and  on  the  way  told  them 
where  he  was  going.  Out  of  curiosity  they 
readily  yielded  to  his  request,  and  went 
with  him  to  the  chapel.  There,  Soe,  after 
asking  the  preacher  between  services  his 
duty,  confessed,  in  the  hearing  of  his  friends 
and  all  present  at  the  inquiry-meeting  before 
the  afternoon  service,  that  he  had  determined 
to  give  up  the  worship  of  idols  and  the 
spirits  of  the  dead  and  become  a worshiper 
of  the  true  God.  The  confession  surprised 
his  friends,  though  it  did  not  make  them 


186 


LENG  TSO. 


angry.  They  saw  that  he  was  in  earnest, 
and  felt  a curiosity  to  know  more  about  the 
religion  that  he  had  just  confessed. 

When  the  service  was  over  and  the  party 
were  on  the  way  to  Toa  Aw,  Soe  told  his 
friends  more  fully  of  his  change  of  religion 
and  change  of  heart.  They  listened  respect- 
fully, and  said  that  they  were  ready  to  learn 
more  about  the  new  doctrine. 

“ I mean  to  bring  it  into  Toa  Aw,”  said 
he.  “ If  it  is  good  for  me,  it  is  good  for 
my  family  and  my  friends,  and  for  all  whom 
I know.  Will  you  join  with  me?” 

The  men  tried  to  excuse  themselves  on  the 
ground  that  they  knew  too  little  yet  to  decide, 
and  said  that  they  would  wait  to  learn  more. 
They  were  afraid  of  trouble,  and  were  not 
enough  interested  to  make  any  sacrifice  for 
the  new  religion.  But  they  thought,  too,  that 
with  Soe,  the  chief  man  in  the  place,  as  a 
friend  not  only,  but  a leader,  in  the  new  re- 
ligion, there  was  not  likely  to  be  much  out- 
ward opposition.  They  knew  that  he  was 
too  much  beloved  by  all  to  be  persecuted, 
especially  as  he  owned  most  of  the  property 
in  Toa  Aw. 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  187 


When  Soe  reached  home  that  night,  he 
called  his  family  together  and  told  them  what 
he  had  learned  and  what  the  new  doctrine 
was  to  be  and  why  he  believed  it  true. 

“ Now,”  said  he,  “ I mean  to  serve  this 
God.  I will  not  compel  any  of  you  to  fol- 
low me,  but  you  must  not  expect  me  to  wor- 
ship the  idols  any  more,  nor  will  I offer  any- 
thing at  the  ancestral  tablets.  I mean  to 
give  my  whole  heart  to  the  true  God,  and 
not  the  smallest  part  to  the  false  ones.  And 
he  is  to  be  the  God  of  my  home.  If,  after 
you  have  learned  all  you  can  about  him,  you 
do  not  wish  to  serve  him,  then  you  may  do 
as  you  like ; but  you  must  not  ask  me  to 
help  in  any  of  the  old  worship  to  which  I 
gave  time  and  money.  I do  not  mean  to 
pay  for  any  idolatrous  feasts,  nor  even  for 
the  worship  of  ancestors.” 

This  confession  of  Soe  was  not  unexpected 
to  his  family ; but  when  the  news  was  made 
known  to  the  villagers,  they  were  surprised. 
In  a quiet  way  he  gave  his  reasons  for  chang- 
ing his  religion.  People  listened  with  re- 
spect and  had  not  much  to  say  in  opposition. 
Chinese  rarely  at  first  oppose  Christianity ; not 


188 


LENG  TSO. 


until  they  have  taken  time  to  let  their  super- 
stitious fears  work,  and  not  until  some  fanat- 
ic has  aroused  them  to  hate  it,  do  they  say 
much  against  the  gospel.  Nor  are  they,  as  a 
rule,  willing  to  oppose  it  at  all  if  there  be  no 
reason  to  think  that  the  gods  or  the  spirits  of 
the  dead  will  be  angry  and  punish  all  for  the 
sin  of  the  few. 

For  a few  days  Soe’s  change  of  faith  was 
a subject  of  talk  in  Toa  Aw,  and  then  the 
people  let  the  matter  rest,  as  if  they  cared 
very  little  about  it.  But  the  talk  did  not 
entirely  end,  though  it  might  have  died  out 
had  there  not  been  some — as  is  usually  the 
case — to  turn  every  misfortune  into  a visitation 
of  the  gods  as  punishment  for  the  change  of 
religion.  These  soon  found  an  opportunity 
to  say  “ I told  you  so,”  and  to  arouse  the 
people  against  Soe  and  the  religion  he  was 
trying  to  bring  to  the  village. 

A death  occurred,  and  at  once  these  oppos- 
ers  said  the  gods  were  angry  because  a for- 
eign God  was  worshiped  in  the  place.  They 
hinted  that  this  would  be  followed  by  other 
and  greater  calamities,  the  end  to  which  it 
was  impossible  to  see.  Some  spoke  to  Soe 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  189 


and  warned  him  of  the  danger,  and  said  it 
would  be  his  own  fault  if  others  suffered. 
They  declared  that  the  gods  were  angry  and 
would  soon  punish  severely  the  people  who 
dared  to  desert  them  for  a foreign  worship. 

“Well  may  the  gods  be  angry,”  said  Soe, 
“ when  I,  who  have  done  so  much  for  them, 
refuse  to  do  any  more ; but  it  is  a strange 
way  of  showing  their  anger  to  punish  their 
friends  for  what  an  enemy  has  done.  Why 
do  they  not  chastise  me,  who  have  offended, 
rather  than  those  who  faithfully  serve  them  ? 
If  that  is  the  way  the  gods  treat  those  who 
are  faithful  to  their  service,  then  I am  glad 
that  I have  turned  from  them.  It  seems 
that  I shall  be  safe  now.  If  what  you  say 
be  true,  then  the  sooner  you  become  the  ene- 
my of  the  gods,  the  sooner  will  you  escape 
their  anger.  They  seem  afraid  of  enemies, 
and  punish  friends  for  what  their  enemies 
do.” 

“ They  are  merely  showing  to  their  friends 
what  they  can  do  to  enemies.  If  such 
things  are  suffered  by  friends,  let  the  ene- 
mies beware,”  replied  one,  significantly. 

“ It  is  a strange  kind  of  showing,”  said 


190 


LENG  TSO. 


Soe,  “ to  cause  the  faithful  to  suffer  that  the 
unfaithful  may  learn.  The  lesson  I take  is 
that  if  gods  killed  that  man,  then  they  are 
not  to  be  trusted ; they  would  sooner  slay 
friends  than  enemies.  To  teach  an  enemy 
a lesson  they  will  kill  a friend.” 

“ You  may  talk  now,”  was  the  answer,  “ but 
after  a while  you  will  wTeep.  Some  day  the 
gods  will  hurt  you  worse  than  the  running 
sore  does.” 

“ Perhaps  so,”  replied  Soe,  coolly  ; “ but  if 
I remember  aright,  the  sore  was  given  me 
when  a faithful  servant  of  the  gods.  They 
did  not  protect  me  then  ; it  will  not  be  strange 
if  they  try  to  harm  me  now.  Yet  I have  a 
greater  God  than  they  for  my  friend.” 

“ He  may  be  a great  God  in  the  foreigners’ 
country,  but  the  Middle  Kingdom  is  not  his 
land.” 

“ That  is  true,”  replied  Soe,  “ but  some  day 
I hope  it  will  become  his,  and  that  you  will 
live  to  be  one  of  his  servants.” 

“ Do  you  suppose  that  we  will  desert  the 
gods  of  our  fathers  and  neglect  the  spirits 
of  our  ancestors?  No,  indeed!  Shall  we 
leave  those  wTe  love  to  suffer  and  starve 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  191 


in  the  spirit- world  ? What  will  not  our 
children  then  do  to  us  when  we  are  in  the 
land  of  the  dead  ? And  what  shall  we  say 
to  the  dead  when  we  meet  them  ?” 

“ Better  ask,  What  shall  we  do  when  the 
spirits  punish  us  for  our  neglect?”  spoke  one. 

“ How  will  they  punish  you  ?”  asked  Soe. 

“ That  we  cannot  tell,”  was  the  reply  ; “ we 
know  soon  enough  when  the  punishment 
comes.  But  we  do  not  intend  that  it  shall 
come ; we  do  not  wish  the  spirits  to  come  to 
earth  to  punish  us,  and  will  care  for  them  all 
we  can.” 

“And  so  they  come  to  earth  to  punish?” 
said  Soe.  “ If  they  do  that,  why  not  stop 
and  get  something  to  eat  and  drink,  and 
thus  save  their  friends  the  trouble  of  car- 
rying it?” 

“ Do  not  speak  thus  of  the  noble  spirits 
of  the  dead,”  almost  whispered  one  of  the 
bystanders  ; “ they  may  be  listening.  Do 
not  let  us  suffer  for  your  evil  words.  Our 
village  may  be  visited  by  enemies  whom 
they  send  to  punish  us  for  what  you  say.” 

“ They  will  but  be  doing,  then,  what  they 
did  when  we  were  all  friends  of  gods  and 


192 


LENG  TSO. 


spirits — I as  much  as  any  of  you.  What 
are  gods  for  if  not  to  protect  their  friends, 
I would  like  to  know?”  asked  Soe.  “But 
they  did  not  protect  us  from  the  Tai  Pings ; 
here  we  see  yet  marks  of  the  ruin  the  rebels 
brought  to  our  village.  We  left  it  for  gods 
and  spirits  to  take  care  of,  and  they  allowed 
our  enemies  almost  to  destroy  the  place.” 

“ That  was  to  warn  us  not  to  forsake  the 
religion  of  our  fathers,”  replied  a man.  “ If 
we  forsake,  they  may,  and  probably  will,  send 
far  worse  enemies.” 

“ I do  not  see  how  they  can  send  much 
worse  ones,”  spoke  Soe,  quietly. 

“ They  may  send  some  who  will  destroy 
life  and  kill  you.” 

“That  will  not  be  so  much  worse,”  an- 
swered Soe.  “ They  will  only  remove  me 
from  the  place  where  enemies  trouble,  and 
where  gods  and  spirits  are  constantly  grow- 
ing angry  and  punishing  their  best  friends, 
to  a place  where  no  angry  gods  or  revenge- 
ful spirits  can  come,  but  where  there  is  a 
merciful,  great  and  loving  God  who  pities, 
forgives  and  saves ; and  that  is  what  gods 
of  the  Middle  Kingdom  cannot  do.” 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  193 


Talks  like  these  set  some  people  thinking 
and  made  others  more  bitter  against  Soe 
and  the  religion  he  had  accepted.  Even 
this  feeling  might  have  passed  away  had 
not  several  others  shown  decided  sympathy 
with  the  .new  religion,  and  even  been  seen 
going  to  the  house  of  Soe  at  times  of  even- 
ing worship.  After  he  had  made  known 
his  purpose  to  his  family  he  had  begun  to 
worship  the  true  God  in  his  home,  and 
asked  all  of  his  family  who  would  to  join 
him.  At  first  his  wife  objected,  but,  as  he 
allowed  her  to  do  as  she  chose,  she  soon  be- 
came a silent  worshiper  with  the  rest.  He 
invited  neighbors  who  were  at  all  interest- 
ed in  the  gospel  to  unite  with  his  family  in 
this  service,  and  thus  night  after  night  quite 
a little  company  gathered  in  his  house.  These 
meetings  made  the  friends  of  the  gods  and  of 
spirit-worship  angry.  Nor  was  this  anger 
lessened  when  Soe  took  with  him  Sabbath 
after  Sabbath  to  the  village  over  the  moun- 
tain several  to  spend  the  day  there  in  wor- 
ship of  the  foreign  God. 

One  stormy  Sabbath  the  little  company, 
instead  of  going  to  Thau  Pau  to  worship, 


194 


LENG  TSO. 


remained  at  home  and  held  worship  in  Soe’s 
house.  This  was  more  than  some  who  had 
gradually  become  exasperated  and  waited  for 
an  opportunity  would  endure.  They  met 
the  same  day  to  talk  the  matter  over  and 
decide  what  to  do.  That  something  must 
be  done  all  admitted.  Sabbath  worship, 
they  supposed,  meant  the  opening  of  a 
chapel,  and  that  would  be  the  signal  for 
gods  and  spirits  to  visit  the  place  with  most 
awful  calamities. 

Soe  led  the  worship  and  tried  to  preach 
or  explain  the  gospel.  His  own  knowledge 
was  not  great,  but  what  he  knew  he  knew 
well,  and  his  explanations  as  Avell  as  his 
arguments  against  idolatry  were  understood 
by  his  hearers.  Those  who  were  wavering 
were  established  more  firmly,  and  all  went 
from  that  first  Sabbath  service  more  deter- 
mined to  become  servants  of  the  true  God 
than  when  they  entered. 

So,  also,  from  the  meeting  to  consider 
what  should  be  done  to  oppose  the  gospel 
all  present  went  away  determined  to  do  all 
in  their  power  to  drive  out  the  new  religion. 
The  next  day  they  began  by  a cautious  talk 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  195 


to  warn  Soe  to  keep  the  worship  of  the 
foreign  God  from  the  village.  His  replies 
soon  made  them  forget  their  proposed  cau- 
tion, and  they  began  to  threaten. 

“ Who  owns  the  larger  part  of  the  lau 
and  of  the  village  property  ?”  asked  Soe. 

“You,”  was  the  reply;  “but  we  who  live 
here  have  rights  too,  and  we  mean  to  keep 
them.” 

“ So  you  shall,”  answered  Soe,  “ and  I 
will  be  one  to  see  that  you  are  not  disturbed. 
As  you  have  rights,  so  have  I and  all  who 
live  here.  As  for  stopping  the  worship  of 
the  true  God,  it  may  as  well  be  said  first  as 
last  that  I do  not  mean  to  compel  any  of  you 
to  worship  him.  I mean  only  to  worship 
him  in  my  own  house,  and  not  one  of  you 
need  enter  that,  nor  come  near  the  door,  nor 
within  sound  of  our  voices.  Indeed,  if  the 
worship  disturbs  you,  it  will  be  well  for  you, 
during  such  worship,  to  go  out  into  the  fields 
until  it  is  over.  It  will  not  last  very  long — 
not  half  as  long  as  the  worship  of  idols  ; and 
when  that  troubles  me  and  my  friends,  we 
will  say  nothing,  but  go  the  fields  while  you 
are  enjoying  it.” 


196 


LENG  TSO. 


Arguments  as  well  as  threats  were  useless, 
and  the  people,  becoming  excited,  declared 
that  they  would  drive  Soe  and  his  friends 
from  the  village  as  Liong  and  his  friends 
had  been  driven  from  Thau  Pau. 

“ That  might  be  done  in  Thau  Pau,”  re- 
marked Soe,  calmly,  “but  that  village  is  not 
Toa  Aw,  nor  is  Liong  Soe.  I own  property 
here ; and  when  you  undertake  to  drive  me 
from  it,  you  undertake  to  fight  the  manda- 
rins. I shall  stay  here  and  worship  the  God 
I know  to  be  true ; that  is  not  against  the 
laws  of  the  Middle  Kingdom.  And,  more 
than  that,  the  mandarins  will  take  care  that 
I be  allowed  to  worship  whom  I please.  If 
the  people  did  drive  Liong  and  his  friends 
from  Thau  Pau,  remember  that  the  manda- 
rins made  them  invite  all  back  and  compelled 
the  people  to  restore  the  property,  too,  that 
had  been  taken  away.” 

The  people  knew  that  what  Soe  said  was 
true,  and  that  they  would  be  bringing  trouble 
on  themselves  if  they  undertook  to  drive  him 
from  the  place ; they  knew,  too,  that,  while 
very  peaceful,  he  was  firm  in  maintaining 
liis  rights,  and  that  to  attack  him  would 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  197 


probably  be  to  get  themselves  into  great 
trouble.  The  lesson  learned  by  the  enemies 
of  the  gospel  at  Thau  Pau  had  not  been  with- 
out its  effect  on  the  Toa  Aw  people.  Though 
very  unwilling,  they  finally  decided  to  profit 
by  it  when  they  saw  how  decided  Soe  was, 
and  that  he  would  do  what  he  said.  In  their 
hearts  they  really  liked  him,  for  he  was  a 
noble,  kind-hearted  man. 

Though  there  was  no  outbreak  against  the 
gospel,  the  feeling  against  the  Christians  con- 
tinued, and  not  a few  were  the  indications 
that  acts  of  violence  would  have  followed 
had  the  people  dared.  Gradually,  however, 
they  submitted  to  the  presence  of  foreign 
worship,  as  they  called  it,  and,  as  no  special 
evil  followed,  they  cared  less  about  oppos- 
ing it. 

Soe  continued  to  have  worship  on  weekday 
evenings  and  on  stormy  Sabbaths,  and  now 
and  again  on  Sabbaths  that  were  not  stormy. 
At  first  the  people  who  were  interested  in 
the  gospel  and  able  to  go  went  on  Sabbath  to 
Thau  Pau,  but  often  there  was  no  preacher 
at  the  chapel  there,  because  Khiau  was  sent 
to  some  other  place  for  weeks. 


198 


LENG  TSO. 


Liong  usually  led  the  service  at  Thau  Pau, 
as  he  could  read,  but  his  teachings  were  not 
always  wise.  One  day,  when  reading  the 
tenth  chapter  of  John,  he  compared  Khiau 
to  the  hireling  who  deserted  the  sheep ; this 
left  a very  unfortunate  impression  on  the 
minds  of  the  people  regarding  their  absent 
preacher.  Perhaps  Liong  did  not  intend  his 
words  to  mean  what  the  hearers  took  from 
them,  yet  even  so  early  he  showed  that  he 
was  not  over-favorable  to  the  preacher  who 
had  been  sent  to  them. 

Soe  and  his  friends  felt  after  a while  that 
the  services  at  the  chapel  were  not  much  bet- 
ter, if  no  preacher  was  present,  than  those 
which  they  held  in  the  house  at  Toa  Aw. 
It  became  quite  common  for  them,  when 
there  was  no  preacher  at  Thau  Pau,  to  re- 
main at  home  and  hold  service.  In  the  end 
this  proved  a great  advantage  not  only  to  the 
people  of  the  little  village,  but  to  the  coun- 
try beyond. 

Leng  Tso  while  at  Thau  Pau  met  the  peo- 
ple of  Toa  Aw  and  became  greatly  interest- 
ed in  them. 

“ I knew,”  said  she,  “ that  God  would 


THE  NEW  RELIGION  AT  TO  A AW.  199 

hear  the  prayers  of  his  children.  The  mis- 
sionaries have  longed  so  much  to  preach  to 
the  people  and  places  beyond  Toa  Aw ; it 
may  be  now  that  the  Lord  is  preparing  the 
way  for  them  to  reach  those  places.  Cannot 
you  tell  the  people — those  living  beyond — 
what  you  have  heard  and  know  to  be  true  ? 
If  there  could  but  be  a chapel  at  the  large 
town  of  Sio  Ke,  and  a preacher  there,  who 
knows  what  good  it  would  do?” 

The  Christians  of  Thau  Pau  were  glad  to 
welcome  Soe  and  his  companions  to  their 
chapel,  and  showed  a true  brotherly  feeling 
to  them.  The  talk  between  services  was  often 
about  the  opposition  against  them  in  Toa  Aw; 
and  when  Soe  told  what  he  had  replied  to 
the  would-be  persecutors,  he  was  asked, 

“ But  does  not  the  holy  book  say  that  ‘ if 
any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law  and  take 
away  thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also  ’ ?” 
“ Yes,”  was  the  reply,  “ but  they  did  not 
mean  to  sue  me  at  the  law : they  meant  to 
take  all  my  property  and  drive  us  all  from 
the  place,  contrary  to  the  law.  Because  they 
would  do  what  was  against  the  law  I deter- 
mined to  resist  them.” 


200 


LENG  TSO. 


“ But  is  it  not  best  to  submit  to  the  op- 
position of  enemies  ?”  was  asked.  “ If  one 
smite  us  on  the  right  cheek,  are  we  not  to 
turn  the  other  also?” 

“So  the  Lord  bids  us,”  answered  Soe,  “but 
he  does  not  tell  us  to  submit  that  we  may 
bring  our  enemies  into  the  greater  trouble. 
Had  we  submitted,  the  people  would  have 
driven  us  away  ; then  we  would  have  appeal- 
ed to  the  mandarins,  who  would  have  com- 
pelled those  opposed  to  us  in  Toa  Aw  to 
bring  us  back  and  return  us  our  property. 
This  would  have  given  us  as  well  as  all 
others  great  trouble.” 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 

TZ  HIAU  of  late  was  so  often  ordered  away 
from  Thau  Pau  that  his  wife  no  longer 
made  her  home  there,  but  stayed  in  the  Foo 
city.  Yet  she  visited  the  little  village  among 
the  mountains,  and  remained  there  for  weeks 
at  a time  when  her  husband  was  there.  She 
was  rather  pleased  to  be  away  from  the  vil- 
lage and  in  the  larger  city,  as  there  had  ap- 
peared on  the  part  of  Liong  a feeling  not 
unlike  jealousy  toward  her  husband.  To 
her  Khiau  was  almost  perfect,  and  she  could 
not  endure  hearing  others  speak  slightingly 
of  him.  Liong  was  an  ambitious  man  and 
liked  honor.  For  a time  after  he  became  a 
Christian  this  feeling  seemed  to  have  gone, 
and  he  appeared  to  be  as  humble  as  the 
humblest;  but  with  the  return  of  himself 
and  his  party  to  the  village  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  mandarins  he  showed  a lively 

201 


202 


LENG  TSO. 


sense  of  liis  own  importance ; lie  took  the 
lead  of  the  band  of  Christians  and  became 
their  head.  With  the  presence  of  Khiau  as 
preacher  appointed  by  the  foreign  teachers, 
Liong  saw  that  he  was  second.  He  bore 
this  in  silence  for  a time,  but  after  a while 
began  to  manifest  a desire  for  supremacy. 

While  Khiau  and  his  wife  were  at  Thau 
Pau  a message  came  from  the  missionaries 
requesting  him  to  go  farther  inland  to  a 
place  many  miles  north-west ; the  people 
had  learned  of  the  gospel,  and  wished  a 
teacher.  Khiau  was  proud  of  the  honor 
and  responsibility,  and  was  soon  ready  to 
start.  Of  course  his  wife  could  not  go  along, 
and  she  was  glad  to  return  to  the  Foo  city. 
As  she  was  preparing  to  go  Leng  Tso  reached 
the  village.  She  had  come  for  a stay  of  a 
day  or  two  only,  and  the  two  agreed  to  go 
together  to  the  Foo  city.  The  Bible-woman 
intended  going  farther  and  proposed  a trip 
to  Ha  Bun,  stopping  at  the  various  places 
on  the  way  to  carry  on  her  work,  as  well  as 
to  visit  old  friends.  She  persuaded  Khiau 
So  to  accompany  her. 

The  two  started  one  morning  early  with 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


203 


several  friends  from  the  village.  It  was  a 
long,  tedious  walk  before  they  reached  the 
small  river  where  they  might  take  a boat. 
Neither  of  them  felt  able  to  afford  to  ride  in 
a sedan-chair,  the  only  means  of  carriage 
except  by  boat  in  their  part  of  the  country. 
There  are  no  horses  there,  and  few  cattle. 
These  last  are  not  used  in  parts  of  Southern 
China  as  beasts  of  burden,  nor  yet  to  draw 
wagons,  their  only  work  being  to  pull  the 
plough  or  harrow;  so  those  who  cannot  walk 
must  ride  in  a sedan-chair  or  stay  at  home, 
unless  near  enough  to  a river  to  use  a boat. 
The  Bible- woman  had  long  ago  learned  to 
walk,  and  the  wife  of  the  preacher  had  been 
obliged  to  learn  later.  Though  a sedan- 
chair,  with  the  two  bearers,  may  be  hired 
for  perhaps  forty  cents  a day,  yet  the  ques- 
tion often  is  about  the  forty  cents.  Khiau’s 
salary  at  this  time  was  only  six  dollars  a 
month,  and  from  that  he  must  board  and 
clothe  himself  and  his  wife.  As  that  was 
nearly  twice  as  much  as  an  ordinary  day- 
laborer  earns,  they  were  satisfied ; but  it 
was  far  from  what  Khiau  So  had  been  ac- 
customed to  in  earlier  days. 


204 


LENG  TSO. 


None  in  the  party  were  more  thankful 
than  our  two  friends  when  the  path  ended 
on  the  bank  of  a small  stream.  This  was 
little  more  than  a narrow  and  shallow  brook, 
being  wide  and  deep  enough  to  float  a light 
flat-bottomed  boat  that  lay  at  the  head  of 
navigation,  waiting  for  the  party. 

“You  cannot  all  go,”  said  the  head-boat- 
man ; “ the  water  is  too  low.  The  boat  will 
run  aground  if  you  all  come  aboard  with 
your  baggage.” 

It  was  agreed  that  if  the  boat  could  carry 
the  burdens  the  men  should  walk  until  they 
came  to  deeper  water. 

With  some  walking  along  the  bank  and 
others  sitting  in  the  little  vessel,  the  party 
started  down  stream.  It  was  easy  to  keep 
up  with  the  boatmen  as  they  pushed  the  craft 
along,  now  moving  to  this  and  then  to  that 
side,  to  keep  from  running  aground.  But 
deeper  water  and  a wider  surface  came 
farther  down,  and  more  burdens  could  be 
carried. 

About  noon  the  party  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  creek,  where  the  smaller  boat  was 
exchanged  for  a larger  river-craft.  These 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


205 


vessels  are  constantly  passing  up  and  down 
the  river,  which,  at  the  place  where  our 
party  reached  it,  is  a stream  of  considerable 
breadth,  but  so  shallow  that  boats  drawing 
only  two  feet  of  water  are  at  times  unable  to 
sail  in  some  places.  Changing  rifts  of  sand 
and  gravel  lie  like  bars  across  the  channel, 
and  to  pass  them  boatmen  are  compelled  to 
get  into  the  water  to  scoop  away  the  rifts 
or  make  a channel  through  them. 

The  water  in  the  river  was  low  when  the 
party  took  the  larger  boat,  and  the  progress 
down-stream  was  slow,  but,  as  the  sailing 
was  pleasant,  they  cared  little  about  speed. 
Chinese  learn,  as  travelers,  the  lesson  of 
patience.  To  sail  on  a river-boat,  to  be  run 
on  sand-rifts  and  compelled  to  wait  idly  for 
an  hour  or  two  while  the  men  dig  a channel, 
or  slowly  to  push  one’s  way  against  a swift 
current  by  means  of  poles,  is  tedious  travel- 
ing, but  it  is  more  trying  yet  to  lie  becalmed 
on  a sailing-boat,  where  there  is  too  much 
depth  of  water  for  poling  and  the  boat  is 
too  large  for  oars  to  propel  her  rapidly. 
But  then  Chinese  are  rarely  in  a hurry ; to- 
morrow will  do,  if  to-day  is  not  sufficient. 


206 


LENG  TSO. 


The  passengers  eat  and  drink — nothing 
stronger  than  tea  and  river- water,  as  a rule 
— they  talk  and  laugh,  they  sleep  and  snore, 
and  not  least  of  their  pastimes  is  gambling. 

These  river-boats  in  Southern  China  are 
usually  flat-bottomed,  but  rounded  upward 
at  stem  and  stern  as  well  as  at  the  sides. 
Rather  narrow,  and  light  of  build,  these 
vessels  are  made  for  light  and  easy  sailing, 
yet  they  are  capable  of  carrying  large  loads. 
The  load  of  freight  is  regulated  by  the  depth 
of  water  in  the  fiver.  Some  of  these  crafts 
are  rather  pretty,  but  many  have  lost  what 
beauty  they  ever  had,  and,  as  for  comfort, 
few  have  a supply.  Many  of  them  have 
little  cabin  except  a piece  of  matting  stretch- 
ed over  bent  poles ; this,  unless  needed  to  keep 
off  sun  and  rain,  is  rolled  up  and  laid  on 
the  side  of  the  deck.  Occasionally  one  of 
these  vessels  large  enough  to  have  a crew  of 
several  men  is  seen,  but  often  the  crew  con- 
sists of  two,  a man  and  a woman,  the  hus- 
band acting  as  captain  and  the  wife  as  mate. 
When  children  come  to  these  parents,  they 
are  free  passengers  for  the  first  few  years, 
but  must  soon  learn  to  work  their  passage. 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


207 


On  one  of  these  river-boats  our  two 
friends  took  passage.  It  was  during  a time 
of  low  water,  and  they  knew  that  the 
voyage  might  be  a long  one.  The  length, 
however,  depended  on  the  number  of  rifts 
their  boat  encountered  and  the  speed  with 
which  the  men  dug  a channel  through  them. 

While  the  passengers  were  congratulating 
themselves  on  the  speed  of  the  craft  there 
came  to  their  ears  the  sound  schrush-schrush- 
ush-ush-sh-sh,  and  then  the  water  went  on 
without  them.  They  were  fast  aground,  and 
might  enjoy  the  scenery  without  change. 
The  boatmen  were  soon  at  work,  now  silently 
digging  a channel,  and  now  as  noisily  talk- 
ing in  angry  words  and  vile  language — no 
oaths  were  used : the  Chinese  tongue  has  no 
words  in  it  for  oaths  ; the  vileness  makes  up, 
however,  for  all  such  lack — because  the  sand 
and  gravel  refused  to  be  removed  as  quickly 
as  they  wished.  The  passengers  took  the 
stop  coolly.  They  had  paid  their  fare,  or 
intended  to  pay  it,  and  what  difference  did  it 
make  to  them  how  long  the  voyage  lasted  ? 
If  their  provisions  held  out — passengers 
usually  take  their  provisions  along — it 


208 


LEXG  TSO. 


mattered  little  to  them.  No  extra  charge 
for  stoppages ; and  the  longer  the  voyage, 
the  more  time  had  each  one  for  rest  and  to 
play  the  gentleman  or  the  lady.  It  need 
hardly  be  said  that  such  delays,  and  es- 
pecially the  language  used  by  the  boatmen, 
were  anything  but  pleasant  to  our  two 
friends. 

By  close  watching  in  the  daytime  the 
rifts  could  be  partly  avoided,  though  it  was 
often  a question  whether  or  not  the  vessel 
could  pass  over  shallow  places,  and  some 
places  that  seemed  deep  enough  proved  just 
deep  enough  to  form  a good  stopping-place. 
Traveling  at  night  was  so  liable  to  detentions 
that  the  boat  was  fastened  as  darkness  came  on, 
and  the  crew  took  a well-earned  rest.  That 
the  passengers  enjoyed  their  rest  it  would 
be  hardly  safe  to  say,  nor  might  it  please 
delicate  ears  to  tell  why  they  did  not.  It  is 
often  asked,  “ What  are  some  of  the  greatest 
trials  the  missionary  in  China  must  meet?” 
Header,  pardon  the  statement  here : some 
of  the  smaller  trials — small  only  in  point 
of  size — are  the  insects  on  those  river-boats. 
They  may  not  trouble  Chinese  as  they  do 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


209 


foreigners,  but  many  a missionary  would 
understand  torture  in  China  to  mean  travel- 
ing and  sleeping  a few  nights  on  one  of 
those  river-boats. 

Not  until  the  close  of  the  second  day  did 
i the  boat  reach  the  Foo  city.  There  Leng 
Tso  and  her  companion  found  a warm  wel- 
come from  their  old  friends,  and  there  the 
preacher’s  wife  was  at  home.  To  her  house 
did  the  Bible-woman  go,  and  with  Khiau  So 
she  made  her  home  most  of  the  time  when 
in  the  Foo  city.  This  place  had  a never- 
ceasing  interest  to  the  two.  In  it  had  been 
passed  some  of  the  most  pleasant  years  in 
the  lives  of  the  women,  and  there  had  Leng 
Tso  passed  through  the  most  terrible  trials 
of  her  sad  and  trying  life. 

Shortly  after  reaching  their  old  home  the 
two  spent  part  of  a day  in  revisiting  the 
places  that  once  had  been  their  homes  and 
in  telling  of  the  lives  lived  within  them. 
When  Leng  Tso  told  of  the  awful  scenes 
during  the  rebellion,  the  two  wept  together. 
She  pointed  out  to  her  friend  the  places 
where  she  had  hidden  to  escape  the  soldiers, 
and  the  streets  through  which  she  had  run 

14 


210 


LENG  TSO. 


with  her  husband  and  family  to  find,  if  pos- 
sible, a way  out  of  the  city  on  the  night 
of  its  capture  by  rebels.*  There  remained 
the  same  bare  walls  and  roofless  dwellings 
that  had  been  left  after  the  imperial  army 
passed  out  of  the  place  at  the  close  of  the 
war.  Street  after  street  was  deserted,  and 
ruin  was  everywhere.  The  rubbish  of  de- 
stroyed dwellings  lay  in  huge  piles  in  the 
streets  as  the  soldiers  had  left  all  years  ago. 
Some  houses  that  stood  then  were  now  de- 
serted and  going  to  decay.  Ruin  was  slowly 
creeping  over  the  city.  More  than  three- 
fourths  of  the  once  large  place — it  having 
had  nearly  one  million  inhabitants — lay  in 
crumbling  ruins.  Less  than  two  hundred 
thousand  would  now  comprise  the  whole 
number  of  the  inhabitants. 

Wearied  and  sad,  the  two  at  length  turn- 
ed their  feet  from  the  place  of  desolation  to 
a spot  where  they  were  certain  of  finding 
friends  and  life  and  comfort.  In  the  large 
chapel  they  were  among  the  first  to  assemble 
for  evening  worship.  At  these  gatherings 

* See  Chinese  Slave- Girl.  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publica- 
tion. 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN.  211 

larger  and  larger  numbers  came  each  time  the 
two  visited  the  place.  It  was  almost  the 
only  spot  in  the  great  city  where  there 
appeared  to  be  life  and  hope.  For  a while 
they  remained  at  the  Foo  city,  Leng  Tso 
spending  much  of  her  time  in  visiting  the 
women  and  reading  the  Bible  to  them. 
Khiau  So  longed  to  engage  in  the  same 
work,  but  felt  timid. 

“ My  lips  seem  tied,”  said  she,  “ when  I 
try  to  speak  to  the  women,  unless  to  Chris- 
tians.” 

“Why  not,  then,  talk  to  Christians?” 
asked  the  Bible-woman. 

“ I do,  in  Thau  Pau,”  replied  Khiau  So, 
“but  here  a fear  overcomes  me.  I cannot 
say  how  or  why  it  is.  I can  talk  about  other 
things,  but  not  about  the  one  important  thing. 
True,  I can  speak  to  Christians,  but  the 
teacher  * says  we  must  try  to  bring  all  the 
souls  we  can  to  the  truth.” 

“ God’s  people  need  more  of  the  truth ; 
they  are  not  taught  as  they  should  be,”  sug- 
gested the  Bible-woman.  “ They  are  most 
of  them  only  children  in  the  truth.  Teach 


* The  husband  of  Khiau  So. 


212 


LENG  TSO. 


them,  and  through  them  you  may  reach 
many  other  souls.” 

“ The  teacher  says  when  we  love  people 
we  love  to  speak  of  them  to  others.  This 
has  troubled  me  a great  deal,  for  I love  the 
Lord,  and  I did  love  to  speak  of  him  before 
we  went  to  Thau  Pau — that  is,  before  Liong 
became  unfriendly  to  the  teacher.  That  has 
made  me  feel  badly.  I wish  the  foreign 
pastors  would  not  ask  him  to  go  back  to 
Thau  Pau  ; a more  learned  man  should  be 
sent  there,  and  one  who  never  lived  in  the 
place.  Liong  thinks  himself  as  learned  as 
the  teacher.” 

“ It  may  be  that  he  will  be  sent  to  the  new 
place  where  he  has  gone  now ; there  he  will 
be  a stranger,  and  you  will  be  able  to  talk 
to  others  again.  You  will  be  glad  to  do  it 
when  the  people  come  to  you  to  know  the 
truth,”  suggested  Leng  Tso. 

“ I hope  he  will  not  be  sent  so  far  away.  I 
would  so  like  to  come  here  to  live  ; it  is  such 
a pleasant  church,  and  all  are  so  kind  here. 
Then,  too,  we  shall  need  to  learn  a new  lan- 
guage if  we  go  where  he  has  gone.  It  seems 
to  me  that  younger  preachers  should  go 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


213 


there.  Yet  I would  rather  go  there  and  do 
that  than  return  to  Thau  Pau.  Liong  is 
very  trying  to  the  teacher.” 

“ He  is  trying  to  others  too,”  replied  the 
Bible-woman.  “ I think  that  others  do  not 
like  to  hear  what  Liong  says.  He  was  al- 
ways trying  to  rule  the  rest.  Yet  he  is 
very  different  from  what  he  was  as  a boy  or 
young  man.  Had  you  seen  him  then,  you 
would  have  said  that  it  would  take  more  than 
man  to  make  him  humble.  He  is  not  very 
humble  yet,  but  very  much  better  than  he 
was  then.” 

“ He  must  have  been  bad  if  he  is  so  much 
better  now.  I sometimes  have  asked  the 
teacher  if  Liong  is  really  a child  of  God.” 

“ What  did  he  say  ?”  inquired  Leng  Tso, 
eagerly. 

“ He  said  that  a man  who  would  do  and 
suffer  as  Liong  has  suffered  for  the  doctrine 
could  hardly  have  done  it  had  not  God’s 
grace  helped  him.  He  says  that  he  thinks 
the  evil  one  is  tempting  Liong  through  his 
love  of  power  and  honor.  More  than  that,  he 
says  it  may  be  that  Liong  will  fall  some  day, 
but  after  that  will  rise  a humble  and  penitent 


214 


LENG  TSO. 


man  and  faithful  to  the  truth  as  well  as 
ready  to  obey  it  in  everything.” 

After  a brief  stay  in  the  Foo  city  the 
friends  started  down  the  river,  stopping  at 
two  or  three  places  to  visit  and  to  carry  on 
the  work  of  the  Bible-woman,  who  was  well 
known  and  much  loved  by  those  she  visited. 
To  hear  “ Ban  Chim  lai  ” spoken  would 
bring  many  a one  to  the  door  to  welcome  the 
woman  whose  coming  was  thus  announced. 

Khiau  So  was  surprised  as  well  as  pleased 
at  the  warm  welcome  given  to  her  friend. 
She  was  not  less  surprised  to  see  the  interest 
which  those  visited  took  in  the  reading  and  in 
the  talks  of  the  Bible-woman.  These  talks, 
like  the  woman  herself,  were  plain  and  unpre- 
tending, but  practical.  She  did  not  preach,  but 
talked,  and  explained  the  gospel  to  those 
who  had  an  opportunity  to  ask  about  the 
things  not  understood  by  them.  Even  the 
children  could  learn  much  from  the  simple 
language  and  plainly-put  truths. 

In  one  place,  as  Leng  Tso,  after  reading 
her  favorite  chapter — the  third  of  John — 
commented  on  the  words  “ for  God  so  loved 
the  world,”  she  said  : 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  RUN. 


215 


“ ‘ God  so  loved  the  world.’  We  never 
hear  men  in  the  Middle  Kingdom  speak  of 
the  gods  of  this  country  loving  the  world. 
They  hardly  love  their  own  friends,  and  will 
soon  enough  desert  them  if  friends  neglect  to 
provide  for  their  wants.  The  gods  of  the 
Middle  Kingdom  do  not  love;  they  hate. 
It  is  the  great  and  the  true  God  who  loves. 
He  loves  everybody ; he  is  always  watching 
to  do  good.  Even  when  people  hate  or  op- 
pose him,  he  still  pities  them  and  is  merciful 
to  them.  He  waits  for  them  to  think  better 
of  their  lives,  and,  instead  of  wasting  them,  to 
give  them  to  him,  that  he  may  give  to  them 
eternal  life.  He  is  like  a father  watching  for 
his  bad  children  to  come  back.  He  is  always 
sending  them  some  good  thing,  some  mes- 
sage of  love,  some  word  of  invitation,  al- 
ways pleading  with  them  to  come  back. 
Even  when  he  punishes,  it  is  to  make  them 
think — to  make  them  see  what  helpless  be- 
ings they  would  be  without  him.  But  all 
this  tells  only  that  God  loves,  and  not  how 
he  loves.  ‘ He  so  loved  the  world,’  the  Lord 
says.  Do  you  know  how?  He  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son.  He  had  one  Son,  and 


216 


LENG  TSO. 


him  God  loved  as  only  God  can  love.  You 
know  how  much  fathers  and  mothers  love 
their  boys,  and  how  much  if  they  have  only 
one.  But  who  would  give  that  only  son  for 
the  sake  of  some  dear  friend?  All  might 
love  the  friend  very  dearly,  yet  they  would 
say,  ‘ I love  my  son  more ; I cannot  give  him 
to  save  even  so  dear  a friend.  It  is  the  only 
son  ; if  I had  several  or  only  two,  one  might 
be  given  ; but  this  one — No,  no,  no  ! I 
cannot  spare  him ; he  cannot  die.’ 

“ But  God  did  not  say  so.  He  looked 
down  and  saw  that  not  his  dearest  friend 
— not  even  a friend  at  all,  but  one  who  did 
not  love  him,  did  not  care  for  him  ; yes,  his 
enemy,  and  a bitter  enemy,  too — was  in 
trouble.  God  did  not  say,  ‘ Let  him  suffer  ; 
he  deserves  it.’  No ; he  looked  and  pitied. 
He  saw  that  no  one  was  willing  or  able  to 
help  man,  no  one  cared  for  him.  Man  was 
not  only  in  trouble,  but  Satan  had  taken  him 
and  was  leading  him  captive  to  the  awful  pit. 
God  could  not  let  man  go ; he  looked  if  there 
was  any  one  to  deliver,  and  there  was  no  one. 
God  did  not  then  say,  ‘ He  is  my  enemy, 
and  it  is  right  that  he  perish.’  No ; God 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


217 


looked,  and  there  was  no  one  to  save.  No 
one  loved  man  enough  to  do  anything  to 
save  him,  Then  God  said,  ‘ I love  man  ; I 
love  him  too  much  to  let  him  perish.  Some- 
thing must  be  done.  If  no  one  else  will,  I 
will  do  something;  yes,  I will  do  much:  I 
will  do  all  that  I can.’  Then  he  knew  that 
there  was  only  one  thing  he  could  do  to  save 
man,  and  that  was  to  give  his  Son. 

“Would  he  do  it,  do  you  think?  What! 
his  own  Son  to  save  his  enemies?  Yes, 
men  were  his  enemies.  And  yet  God  loved 
them.  He  loved  them  very  much — so  much 
that  Jesus  himself  could  not  tell  how  much, 
except  to  tell  what  he  did  to  prove  that  love. 
He  loved  men  so  much  that  he  gave — 
Whom  ? Listen.  I will  read : ‘ He  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son.’  Yes,  God  gave 
him.  It  was  all  the  Son  God  had,  yet  he 
gave  that  only  one  to  save  men.  He  so 
loved  the  world.  Yes,  so  as  only  God  can 
love.  If  he  loves  us  so  much,  what  should 
we  do  ? Is  it  right,  is  it  reasonable,  to  wor- 
ship these  gods  that  never  did,  and  never 
can,  love  as  God  does?  What  have  they 
ever  done  for  us  ? What  can  they  do  ? What 


218 


LENG  TSO. 


are  they  ? Men  and  women  pray  to  them, 
but  what  good  does  it  do  ? People  say  that 
if  we  give  things  to  the  gods  they  will  show 
us  favors,  but  God  showed  us  the  greatest  pos- 
sible favor  when  he  gave  his  Son.  If,  as  the 
people  say,  the  gods  should  return  favors  for 
the  presents  made,  ought  not  we  to  do  some- 
thing to  show  that  we  love  God  ?” 

In  this  plain  way  did  Leng  Tso  present 
the  truth  to  the  little  bands  that  gathered 
about  her  in  the  homes.  Some,  no  doubt, 
were  glad  to  listen  because  it  gave  them 
something  new,  something  to  talk  of  to 
others ; but  there  were  those  who  listened 
with  deeper  interest  each  time  the  Bible- 
woman  talked  to  them.  Through  her  they 
were  gradually  coming  into  the  light  or 
walking  in  the  brighter  and  brighter  light 
as  they  went  on  their  way  as  Christians. 

“ I want  to  visit  my  son,”  said  Leng  Tso 
one  day  as  they  were  about  to  leave  a village 
where  they  had  spent  a day  or  two. 

“ Where  does  he  live  ?”  was  asked. 

“ In  the  large  city  down  the  river  on  the 
way.” 

“ What ! in  Chang  Bay  ?” 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


219 


“ Yes  ; he  is  in  business  there.” 

“ I would  like  to  see  him  not  only,  but  to 
visit  that  place  and  see  the  church  and  its 
people.  The  teacher  has  often  spoken  of 
that  church  as  one  where  the  j>eople  are 
more  warm  of  heart  and  active  in  work 
than  in  any  other  of  all  the  churches  in  this 
part  of  the  Middle  Kingdom.  He  has  told 
me  of  E Ju,  the  elder  there,  and  of  his 
wife.  I would  like  to  meet  them.  From 
what  I have  heard,  they  are  very  faithful  to 
the  Lord.” 

“ Yes,  they  are  ; and  much  of  the  pros- 
perity of  that  church  is  owing  to  E Ju  and 
his  wife.  They  are  wise  and  faithful.  You 
will  like  them,  though  they  are  not  like 
people  of  the  Middle  Kingdom.  They  do 
not  talk  and  talk  to  hide  their  meaning 
until  they  know  your  mind,  but  tell  what 
they  mean  and  wish,  and  leave  it  to  you  to 
say  what  you  wish.  They  are  like  foreign- 
ers.” 

Khiau  So  was  introduced  to  Lin,  the  son 
of  the  Bible-woman,  and  to  his  wife,  at  their 
home,  where  the  two  stayed  part  of  the 
time  while  in  Chang  Bay.  Lin  was  yet  a 


220 


LENG  TSO. 


young  man,  and  rather  a quiet  one,  but  a 
man  who  thought  and  was  ready  to  give  a 
reason  for  his  opinions  and  acts. 

“ Why  is  it,”  asked  Khiau  So  in  the 
evening  of  the  day  of  their  arrival,  “ that 
you,  who  are  a Christian  and  the  son  of  a 
woman  who  has  given  all  her  later  life  to 
the  work  of  teaching  the  doctrine,  should 
give  your  time  to  business  rather  than  to 
preaching  the  gospel?” 

“ If  all  Christians  became  preachers,” 
replied  Lin,  “ who  would  take  care  of  the 
Church  ? Who  would  make  money  to 
carry  on  its  work  ? We  cannot  expect  the 
foreign  Church  to  support  our  preachers : 
we  must  do  it  some  time;  and  the  sooner 
we  begin,  the  better  will  it  be.  Then,  too, 
we  must  send  the  doctrine  to  others,  and 
not  expect  the  people  of  God  outside  of 
the  Middle  Kingdom  to  do  all  the  work.” 
“ That  is  true,”  spoke  Khiau  So ; “ yet 
the  greatest  need  just  now  is  for  men  to 
preach  the  gospel.  If  you  are  able,  why 
should  not  you  do  it  ?” 

“ I am  not  as  able  to  preach  as  I am  to 
help  support  the  preachers,”  was  his  reply. 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


221 


“ My  mother  is  teaching,  and  I help  sup- 
port her ; and  my  cousin,  Uncle  Iau’s  son,  is 
preaching,  and  my  uncle  is  helping  support 
him.”  Then,  recollecting  himself,  he  said, 
“ No,  not  supporting  him,  for  the  foreign 
pastors  do  that ; but  my  uncle  gives  of  his 
money  to  help  the  mission,  which  is  nearly 
the  same.  So  two  are  making  money  to  aid 
the  work,  while  two  are  teaching.” 

“ But  would  not  your  work  be  of  more 
value  to  the  cause,”  asked  Khiau  So,  “ than 
the  money  you  can  earn?” 

“ Perhaps  so — that  is,  it  would  be  so  now  ; 
but  I hope  to  increase  my  business  and  after 
a few  years  make  a great  deal  more  money.” 
“Yet  by  preaching  now  you  might  turn 
to  righteousness  many  who  after  a while 
would  give  much  money  to  the  Lord’s  cause,” 
was  suggested  by  the  preacher’s  wife. 

“ That  may  be,”  said  Lin  ; “ but  there  is 
another  reason  why  I am  not  a preacher : I 
do  not  think  myself  suited  for  the  work. 
God  has  plans  for  all  his  children,  and  he 
fits  each  for  a part  or  a share  in  that  plan. 
I am  fitted  for  business  rather  than  for 
preaching.  I am  slow  of  speech.” 


222 


LENQ  TSO. 


“ I hope  you  are  not  in  business  because 
it  is  easier?”  suggested  Khiau  So. 

“I  am  willing  to  do  what  the  Lord 
requires  of  me,”  responded  Lin,  quietly. 
“I  did  not  become  a Christian  to  have  an 
easy  life,  but  because  I love  the  Lord.  It 
cost  me  more  to  become  a follower  of  Jesus 
than  it  has  cost  many  others.” 

“ What  has  it  cost  you  ?”  inquired  the 
preacher’s  wife.  “ You  have  a comfortable 
home  and,  as  you  say,  a good  business,  and 
you  are  making  money.  I would  like  to 
know  something  more  about  the  cost.  I 
remember  now,  though,  that  your  mother 
told  me  part  of  the  story  of  your  earlier 
life,  but  it  has  been  partly  forgotten.” 

“ It  is  a short  story,  and  not  unlike  what 
many  have  suffered  ; yet  had  I not  been 
willing  to  serve  the  Lord,  I would  not  have 
been  here  to  tell  this  story.  My  mother 
has  no  doubt  told  you  that  I was  stolen  from 
my  father  when  I was  a child.  I was  sold 
to  become  the  adopted  son  of  a rich  man 
who  intended  to  give  me  all  his  property, 
for  he  had  no  children  of  his  own.  He  and 
his  wife  were  very  kind  to  me,  and  treated 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


223 


me  as  a real  son ; I could  ask  for  no  more 
comforts.  But  I heard  the  doctrine,  and 
after  a while  became  a Christian.  My 
adopted  father  heard  of  it,  and  commanded 
me  to  cease  worshiping  the  foreigners’  God. 
I refused  as  politely  as  I could,  but  he  con- 
tinued his  demand  that  I return  to  the 
worship  of  the  idols  of  the  Middle  King- 
dom. One  day,  as  we  were  working  in  the 
field — for  he  was  a farmer  and  owned  much 
land — he  so  strongly  urged  me  to  turn  back 
from  the  true  God  that  I told  him  I neither 
could  nor  would  turn  back,  and  that  even  if 
he  drove  me  from  his  home  I would  not 
give  up  the  new  religion.  He  was  so  angry 
that  he  struck  me  with  a heavy  hoe,  and  I 
fell  senseless  to  the  ground.  He  turned 
away  and  left  me  to  die.  He  never  came  to 
see  whether  I was  dead  or  alive,  and  no 
doubt  I should  have  died  had  not  Christian 
friends  found  and  cared  for  me.  From  that 
time  until  I made  a home  for  myself  I was 
an  outcast,  except  as  Christians  cared  for 
and  provided  me  with  a home.  To  become 
a follower  of  the  Lord  I gave  up  all  and 
nearly  lost  my  life ; so  you  see  that  it  did 


224 


LENG  TSO. 


cost  me  something.  And  yet,  if  all  had  to 
be  passed  through  again,  I would  do  as  I did 
and  give  up  all  for  Christ.” 

“ It  is  hard,  though,”  interposed  Lin’s 
wife,  “ to  lose  a fortune ; but  it  is  all  right, 
I suppose.” 

“ It  would  hardly  make  any  difference  to 
you,”  said  Lin,  half  jokingly  ; “ for  had  I 
stayed  with  him  as  his  son,  another  would 
have  been  my  wife.  If  I lost  a fortune,  I 
gained  a good  wife  by  it.” 

“ I did  not  think  of  that,”  replied  the 
wife  of  Lin.  “ What  we  lose  in  one  way 
for  the  doctrine  we  gain  in  another,  so  it 
will  be  all  right  in  the  end.” 

“ Even  in  this  life,”  suggested  Leng  Tso. 
“Yet  with  the  promise  of  the  life  that  is 
eternal  our  Lord  says  that  those  who  give 
up  all  for  him  in  this  life  shall  even  here 
receive  a great  deal  to  compensate ; and  the 
comfort  and  the  happiness  we  receive  pay  a 
hundred  times  over  for  any  loss  we  may 
endure  for  the  sake  of  the  doctrine.” 

Ivhiau  So  was  anxious  to  meet  E Ju. 
It  was  not  according  to  custom  for  her  to 
call  upon  him,  and  surely  not  to  call  first ; 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


225 


but  E Ju  was  the  chapel-keeper  of  Chang- 
Bay  church,  and  it  was  easy  and  proper  to 
go  to  the  chapel  and  stay  after  evening  wor- 
ship, or  go  early  and  meet  the  chapel-keeper 
then.  The  first  night  the  two  women  spent 
in  the  city  they  were  weary  and  did  not  at- 
tend chapel  service,  but  were  there  early  the 
next  evening,  when  Kliiau  So  was  intro- 
duced to  E Ju.  He  was  rather  a strange- 
appearing  man  for  a Chinaman.  His  eyes 
were  not  as  much  of  an  almond-shape  as 
are  most  of  the  eyes  of  Chinese,  but  re- 
minded one  of  the  look  of  a foreigner.  He 
usually  wore  large  Chinese  spectacles,  being 
near-sighted  ; these  added  to  the  peculiar,  yet 
pleasing,  appearance  of  his  face.  To  see 
that  face  one  would  not  soon  forget  it. 
It  showed  an  openness  that  told  of  an  hon- 
est man  and  a quickness  of  movement  that 
spoke  of  an  active  body  and  a not  less  active 
mind.  His  eyes  seemed  to  look  through  the 
glasses  right  into  the  eyes  of  any  one  speak- 
ing to  him,  and  to  pierce  to  one’s  very 
thoughts.  There  were  in  his  voice  a full- 
ness and  a roundness  of  tone  that  were 
very  pleasing,  yet  in  that  sound  was  a 

15 


226 


LENG  TSO. 


something  which  said  that  the  man  did  not 
live  to  please  as  much  as  to  work,  and  to 
work  well. 

E Ju  was  a thorough  Chinaman,  but  had 
few  of  the  bad  qualities,  though  nearly  every 
good  quality,  of  his  race.  He  was  a man  of 
decided  character,  and  as  fearless  as  decided. 
What  he  believed,  he  said  without  fear  or 
favor ; yet  he  was  a man  who  knew  when  to 
speak  and  when  to  be  silent.  He  had  true 
politeness,  but  was  unwilling  to  sacrifice 
truth  to  ceremony.  He  was  so  plain  and 
outspoken  that  many  of  his  countrymen 
disliked  him,  or,  rather,  his  plain-speaking. 
Every  one  respected  and  trusted  him,  and  there 
was  probably  not  another  Chinese  Christian 
in  that  part  of  the  country  so  respected  and 
trusted  by  the  missionaries  as  E Ju.  Not 
only  would  he  tell  his  countrymen  their 
faults,  but  he  would  do  the  same  judiciously 
and  kindly,  yet  frankly,  to  the  missionaries. 
He  did  not  seem  to  know  how  to  deceive. 

E Ju  was  glad  to  meet  his  old  friend  Leng 
Tso,  and  as  glad  to  welcome  to  the  chapel 
the  wife  of  his  friend  Kliiau  the  preacher. 
He  took  the  two  around  through  the  church- 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


227 


building  and  the  schoolroom,  and  showed  them 
everything  belonging  to  the  establishment. 
Chang  Bay  chapel  and  all  connected  with  it 
indicated  taste  and  wisdom.  The  city  itself, 
being  an  important  one  at  the  head  of  navi- 
gation for  large  river-boats,  was  regarded  by 
the  missionaries  as  worthy  of  good  and  large 
buildings,  and  time  has  proved  their  wisdom. 
The  Christians,  and  especially  the  chapel- 
keeper,  were  proud  of  their  chapel  and  of 
the  rooms  connected  with  it. 

Kliiau  So  was  surprised  at  first,  and  not 
very  well  pleased,  at  E Ju’s  bluntness  and 
frank  way  of  speaking.  After  showing  the 
two  around  he  told  them  about  the  prospects 
of  the  church. 

“ But,”  said  he,  “ it  will  not  prosper  as  it 
should  until  a pastor  is  settled  here.  All  is 
now  really  left  in  my  charge,  though  the 
preacher,  who  is  a good  man,  lives  near  the 
city,  and  should  have  more  care  of  every- 
thing about  the  place;  but  he  is  easy  and 
ready  to  let  others  take  all  the  work  they 
will.  I am  not  a preacher,  only  a business- 
man ; and,  while  able  to  take  care  of  the 
chapel,  it  is  not  right  that  I should  be  so 


228 


LENG  TSO. 


often  left  to  attend  to  the  evening  services. 
If  we  are  to  do  the  Lord’s  work,  we  must 
do  it  with  all  our  strength,  and  not  with 
half  of  it,  leaving  to  others  the  work  we 
might  do.  I am  not  speaking  about  the 
preacher,  but  of  us  all.” 

“ Yet,  if  chapel-keeper,  why  should  not 
you,  who  are  surely  able  to  do  the  Avork  so 
well,  take  charge  of  the  service?”  asked 
Khiau  So. 

“ I may  do  it  fairly  well,”  responded  he, 
“ but  Ave  need  here  the  best  service  possible 
to  be  had.  This  must  become  a very  large 
and  strong  church  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the 
country  around,  and  to  have  it  soon  become 
such  a church,  everything  possible  should  be 
done  each  day.  Ten  years  later  it  will  feel 
sadly  what  is  but  a slight  neglect  now.  This 
must  not  be  a child  for  the  doctrine,  but  a 
mother.  That  is  what  the  foreign  pastors 
understand ; it  is  their  wish,  but  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  teach  our  people  that  each  one’s  help 
is  needed  to  make  this  such  a church  as  it 
ought  to  be.” 

“ Then  here  is  a chance  for  you  to  do  a 
great  work,”  suggested  Khiau  So.  “ Why 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


229 


are  you  not  a regular  preacher  instead  of 
a chapel-keeper?  I have  often  heard  the 
teacher,  my  husband,  speak  of  Brother  E Ju, 
and  I am  sure  that  he  thinks  the  church 
would  be  greatly  profited  that  had  you  as 
preacher.” 

“ I am  not  fitted  for  the  work,”  said  the 
man.  “ God  made  me,  and  he  knew  what  I 
could  do.  He  has  given  me  that  work  ; and 
if  I try  to  preach,  I will  be  doing  what  he 
lias  not  called  or  made  me  for.  True,” 
added  he,  by  way  of  apologizing,  “I  am 
ready  to  tell  all  whom  I meet  of  the  doc- 
trine, and  will  continue  to  do  so ; but  I have 
not  the  gifts  for  a preacher.  Then  I cannot 
say  enough  pleasant  things  to  the  people ; I 
say  the  truth  as  others  do,  but  not  in  a way 
that  is  acceptable.  No ; I was  made  for 
business,  and  in  that  I can  best  serve  God.” 

“Yet,”  persisted  she,  “there  is  such  a 
need  of  faithful  men  to  preach  that  it  seems 
if  any  one  is  able  to  tell  the  doctrine  he 
should  give  his  time  and  his  life  to  that 
work.” 

“ It  is  true  that  the  Lord  needs  preachers,” 
said  E Ju,  “ but  he  needs  other  workers  as 


230 


LENG  TSO. 


well.  He  has  called  some  to  preach,  oth- 
ers to  different  work  : the  different  work  is 
mine.  I have  not  come  to  this  opinion 
without  careful  thought,  and  I know  that 
my  work  is  not  to  preach.  It  is  useless  to 
speak  to  me  about  it;  all  was  settled  long 
ago.  I began  to  preach  once.” 

“ Indeed  ? How  was  that,  and  when  ?” 
asked  Leng  Tso. 

“You  know  more  of  my  life  than  the  wife 
of  the  teacher  does,”  replied  E Ju,  “so  I 
suppose  that  you  will  not  care  to  hear  it 
told  over  again.” 

“ That  does  not  matter,”  spoke  the  Bible- 
woman  ; “ I will  be  glad  to  hear  it  repeat- 
ed, and  she  will  be  equally  glad  to  listen,  I 
know.” 

“Yes,”  responded  Khiau  So;  “though 
the  teacher  has  told  me  part,  I would  like 
to  hear  it  all  from  you.” 

“It  is  not  wonderful,”  began  E Ju,  “but 
the  Lord  was  directing  me  to  the  work  he 
had  for  me.  My  work  is  not  great,  like 
that  of  the  preachers ; I am  but  a door- 
keeper in  the  house  of  my  God,  but  I would 
rather  serve  here  than  rule  in  the  tents  of 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


231 


sin.  I was  born  many  miles  away  from 
bere,  over  on  the  other  river.  That  was 
before  the  gospel  had  reached  the  Middle 
Kingdom.  When  a man,  I became  a cook, 
and  my  business  was  to  prepare  feasts  for 
idolatrous  celebrations.  I was  a faithful 
servant  of  the  gods  and  worshiped  the 
spirits  with  all  my  heart.  After  I had  been 
in  that  business  for  some  years  teacher 
Burns — a foreigner,  but  dressed  as  one  of 
our  own  people — came  to  the  village  where  I 
lived.  I heard  of  the  ‘ foreign  native,’  as  he 
was  called,  and  went  to  see  him.  I heard 
him  tell  of  Jesus,  and  after  a while  my  ears 
were  pleased  with  the  sound.  I heard  again 
and  again  about  this  Jesus  and  the  love  of 
God,  as  teacher  Burns  came  time  after  time 
to  the  place  or  remained  for  days  to  preach. 
Others  ridiculed  him  for  trying  to  appear  a 
Chinaman,  but  I became  too  much  interested 
in  the  truth  to  ridicule  him.  At  length  I 
believed  what  he  said,  and  became  a follower 
of  Jesus.  Then  I could  no  longer  continue 
my  business.  True,  I might  provide  for 
other  feasts,  but  who  would  hire  me  ? Be- 
sides, nearly  every  feast  had  something  of 


232 


LENG  TSO. 


idolatry  in  it.  I had  saved  some  money — for 
my  business  had  been  good — yet  the  money 
would  not  last  all  my  life,  and  I must  look 
for  other  work.  This  was  not  easy,  because 
all  were  ready  to  turn  against  me,  since  I 
had  turned  against  the  gods  and  the  religion 
of  my  country.  Of  course  many  tried  to  per- 
suade me  to  return  to  the  worship  of  idols, 
but  how  could  I,  when  they  were  false  and 
the  great  God  of  the  foreigners  was  the  true 
God  ? There  seemed  but  little  for  me  to 
do  at  my  home,  yet  there  were  soon  very 
many  like  myself  who  were  ready  to  give 
up,  or  had  already  given  up,  the  idolatry  of 
the  country.  Multitudes  came  to  hear  the 
word,  and  many  believed  and  obeyed  it.  This 
made  it  only  the  more  difficult  for  the  Chris- 
tians to  get  something  to  do.  I determined 
to  go  to  another  place,  and  came  here  to  see 
if  I could  earn  a living.  I might  have  done 
so  at  once  had  I left  the  new  doctrine  behind, 
but  I saw  so  many  who  knew  nothing  of  the 
Saviour  that  my  heart  would  not  let  me  be 
still.  How  could  I,  who  was  enjoying  a rich 
feast,  see  others  starve,  when  I knew  where 
there  was  enough,  and  to  spare,  and  all  of 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


233 


it  free  to  tlie  poorest  and  most  needy  as  well 
as  to  the  rich  and  the  great?  I began  tell- 
ing what  I had  found,  and  many  listened 
and  believed.  While  much  time  was  spent 
in  telling  others  of  the  Saviour,  it  seemed 
my  duty  to  try  also  to  earn  a living.  I 
started  in  business,  and  would  have  made 
much  money  here,  it  is  almost  certain,  if  I had 
prepared  food  for  idolatrous  feasts.  That  I 
would  not  do,  but  was  ready  for  anything 
that  would  help  me  earn  my  living  and 
yet  serve  God.  He  whom  I served  did  not 
let  me  suffer.  I continued  preaching  and 
working  at  my  business,  and  did  the  very 
best  I could  to  please ; but  the  people  did 
not  wish  me  to  speak  against  their  idolatry 
when  they  asked  me  to  provide  for  their 
feasts.  How  could  I help  doing  my  duty  ? 
The  foreign  pastors  saw  that  1 was  ready  to 
do  the  Lord’s  work,  and  asked  me  to  take 
charge  of  the  chapel  while  I was  still  at  my 
business.  It  did  not  seem  to  me  that  the  two 
could  be  carried  on  at  the  same  time,  because 
one  would  interfere  with  the  other.  I was 
glad  to  work  for  the  Lord,  yet  had  begun  to 
see  that  my  work  was  not  to  preach:  I spoke 


234 


LENG  TSO. 


too  plainly  for  the  people.  Many  listened,  but 
others  would  not  hear  such  hard  things  said ; 
they  would  not  hear  the  truth  as  I told  it. 
Then  I said  to  myself,  ‘You  may  be  a 
chapel-keeper,  but  not  a preacher — be  the 
door-keeper,  but  not  the  leader,  of  God’s 
house.’  But  the  people  are  coming,”  said  E 
Ju.  “I  will  ask  Lin  to  ring  the  gong,  and 
then  will  tell  the  rest  in  a few  words.” 

Lin,  who  had  just  come  in,  was  asked  to 
ring  the  gong,  and  soon  the  measured  tones 
of  this  ctill  to  worship  were  heard,  and  the 
people  rapidly  assembled.  E Ju  saw  that 
he  had  no  time  to  go  on  with  his  story,  so, 
excusing  himself,  he  went  to  the  platform  as 
the  two  women  walked  to  the  woman’s  en- 
closure, behind  the  speaker’s  place. 

As  the  preacher  was  not  there,  E Ju  took 
charge  of  the  service.  Every  one  liked  to 
have  him  lead,  as  he  was  so  prompt  and  in- 
teresting, though  his  decided  way  and  unhes- 
itating rebukes,  if  deserved,  were  not  relish- 
ed. These,  however,  seldom  came  during 
evening  worship. 

After  the  close  of  the  service  the  chapel- 
keeper  continued  his  story : 


A JOURNEY  TO  HA  BUN. 


235 


“ The  foreign  pastors  at  first  urged  me  to 
continue  preaching  and  offered  to  support  me, 
but  I said  it  would  not  do ; I was  not  fitted 
for  the  work.  I was  learning  that  study  was 
too  trying  for  a man  who  had  all  his  life  been 
active.  I think  that  was  one  reason  why  I 
could  not  speak  more  pleasantly.  I did  not  go 
out  into  the  open  air  enough,  for  I was  read- 
ing and  studying  so  much  that  my  appetite 
was  lost,  and  I became  irritable.  I told  them 
that  I must  have  some  business  to  aid  in  my 
support  and  enable  me  to  be  outside  in  the  air 
more  than  a student  and  preacher  could  be. 
So  I became  the  chapel-keeper.  This  is  my 
story.  Is  it  of  little  account?  Indeed,  it  is; 
but  it  is  the  story  of  a sinner  saved  by  the 
mercy  of  God.  My  life  belongs  to  Him 
who  saved  me.  If  it  be  not  given  to  the 
kind  of  work  that  his  people  think  it  should 
be,  it  is  given  as  I think  the  Lord  would  have 
me  spend  it.” 


CHAPTER  IX. 

LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 

ENG  TSO  took  her  friend  to  Ha  Bun  to 


see  the  churches  and  the  schools — not  the 
least  of  them  the  girls’  school.  Expecting 
to  surprise  the  wife  of  the  preacher,  the 
Bible-woman  had  said  little  about  it  beyond 
telling  her  that  such  a school  was  in  success- 
ful  operation.  But  it  was  a sad  surprise 
that  awaited  not  only  Khiau  So,  but  the 
Bible-woman  herself. 

When  the  two  reached  the  home  of  Iau, 
Leng  Tso  speedily  asked  about  the  girls’ 
school. 

“ Well  may  you  ask,”  was  the  reply  of 
her  sister-in-law.  “Ah  ! it  is  too  bad  that 
we  should  have  women  and  girls  go  to 
school.  I feared  it  would  be  so.  They 
were  not  made  to  be  educated — at  least,  not 
to  go  to  school  where  young  men  are,  and 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


237 


where  they  teach.  It  was  a pity — such  a 
pity  ! I am  sure  it  was  the  work  of  that 
young  foreign  pastor.  Why  did  they  let 
him  have  charge  of  anything  ? He  is  too 
young  to  attend  to  such  work.  He  means 
well,  but  he  does  not  know  much.  He  is 
not  like  the  other  foreign  pastors.” 

“ Why,  what  is  the  matter  ?”  asked  Leng 
Tso,  in  surprise.  “ What  has  the  pastor 
done  ? What  has  happened  to  the  school  ? 
Who  is  the  young  teacher  ? I have  heard 
nothing ; tell  me.” 

Iau,  who  had  come  in  just  as  his  wife 
began  to  tell  his  sister  about  the  school, 
replied : 

“ It  may  not  have  been  the  young  pastor, 
or  he  may  not  have  intended  causing  trouble, 
but  much  has  been  caused.  He  does  not 
know  enough  about  such  work  ; he  knows 
enough  about  carpenter-work,  though,  for 
he  can  handle  a saw  and  a plane  like  a 
mechanic.  Some  days  ago  he  talked  to  me 
about  the  work  of  building  houses  in  his 
country  as  if  he  had  done  it.  He  told  me 
many  things  I did  not  know  about  tools, 
and  showed  me  a lot  of  them  he  brought 


238 


LENG  TSO. 


with  him.  He  may  be  a good  carpenter, 
but  he  is  not  a good  man  to  manage  such 
work  as  he  came  here  to  do.” 

“ What  was  it  that  Kin  Liong  said  about 
the  new  preacher?”  asked  lau  Chim,  Iau’s 
wife.  “ He  said  that  the  young  pastor  knew 
how  to  make  boats  too,  did  he  not?” 

“Yes,”  replied  lau  ; “he  has  made  two  or 
three  toy  sail-boats  for  the  boys,  and  they 
were  out  sailing  them  the  other  day  when 
we  came  across  the  harbor.  The  young 
pastor  and  two  or  three  of  the  officers  of 
the  foreign  war-vessel  were  watching  the 
boats  sail.  The  sailors  said  that  the  man 
who  could  make  such  boats  knew  how  to 
build  vessels,  but  he  does  not  know  how  to 
take  care  of  a school,”  added  lau,  shaking 
his  head  doubtfully. 

“ I would  like  to  know  what  is  the  trouble 
with  the  girls’  school,”  spoke  Leng  Tso,  a 
little  tartly.  “ The  young  pastor  may  be  a 
good  or  a poor  boat-builder  and  carpenter, 
but  what  has  that  to  do  with  the  school? 
Has  anything  happened  to  the  girls’  school  ?” 

“Yes,  a great  deal,”  answered  lau  Chim. 
“ It  is  all  bad — very  bad.” 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


239 


“ It  is  not  so  much  with  that  as  with  the 
boys’  school  near,”  suggested  Iau ; “ the 
trouble  began  there.” 

“ But  what  is  it  ?”  inquired  the  Bible- 
worn  an  again. 

“ You  had  better  go  to  the  school  and  ask,” 
was  the  reply  ; “ we  may  not  have  heard  all, 
and  what  we  have  heard  may  not  be  true. 
I hope  it  is  not.  To  think  that  such  things 
should  happen  in  that  school  so  soon  ! But 
we  might  have  known  it  would  be  so,  with 
such  a young  man  as  teacher  and  girls  going 
to  school  so  near.”  So  said  Iau  Chim. 

After  further  inquiry,  but  getting  little 
better  or  more  full  information,  Leng  Tso 
asked  Iau  if  he  would  tell  in  as  few  words 
as  possible  what  the  difficulty  was. 

“ I cannot  tell  you  in  a few  words ; I 
have  already  heard  so  much  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  tell  half  if  a day  be  taken  for 
it.  There  is  trouble  with  the  two  schools.  It 
was  bad  to  have  the  two  so  near,  and  it  was 
bad  for  the  new  pastor  to  put  a man  so 
young  in  the  school  as  teacher.” 

“ How  do  you  know  that  the  young  pastor 
did  it  ?”  asked  she. 


240 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Every  one  says  so,”  was  the  reply. 

“Are  you  sure  it  was  the  young  pastor  who 
did  it?  You  were  at  the  school  of  the  boys 
when  the  young  teacher  was  placed  in  charge, 
were  you  not?”  asked  Leng  Tso  of  her 
brother. 

“ Yes,  I was  there,”  he  answered. 

“ Were  not  the  other  foreign  pastors  there  ? 
and  did  not  they  conduct  the  exercises  and 
speak  as  if  they  were  willing  that  Won  Leng, 
the  young  teacher,  should  have  charge?” 
She  was  beginning  now  to  understand  that 
there  was  difficulty  between  Won  Leng,  the 
young  teacher  of  the  boys’  school,  and  the 
school  for  girls.  The  two  schools  were  near 
together,  and  the  pupils,  though  separated, 
might  see  each  other ; from  a second-story 
piazza  the  boys  and  their  teacher  could  look 
down  into  the  yard  through  which  the  girls 
occasionally  took  walks,  though  it  was  not 
the  yard  belonging  to  their  school. 

“ Yes,”  said  Iau ; “all  the  pastors  seemed 
to  agree  with  what  the  young  pastor  said.” 

“ But  did  he  say  anything?”  asked  she. 

For  a moment  the  man  stopped  to  think, 
and  then  replied  : 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


241 


“ I am  not  sure  what  he  said,  if  he  said 
anything.” 

“ He  did  not  say  much,”  spoke  Iau  Chim, 
“ for  he  had  only  just  come  and  did  not 
know  our  language.” 

“ True  ! true  !”  chimed  in  Iau.  “ He  had 
but  just  reached  Ha  Bun,  and  could  have 
said  nothing.  But  he  is  the  one  who  has 
made  so  many  changes,  every  one  says.” 

“ Did  he  start  the  seminary  for  the  older 
students  or  the  girls’  school  ?”  inquired  Leng 
Tso.  “ If  he  did,  it  was  a good  work.” 

“No;  the  pastors  had  thought  of  the 
large  school  long  before  the  young  pastor 
came,”  echoed  Iau  Chim;  “so  thev  had 
talked  of  the  girls’  school ; but,  after  all,  it 
was  not  he  who  began  those,  but  Mrs.  Min- 
turn  and  the  young  pastor’s  wife  who  began 
the  girls’  school.” 

“ So  I think  you  will  find  that  the  young 
pastor  did  not  do  all  the  bad,  either,”  sug- 
gested the  Bible- woman.  “ He  is  not  so 
bad ; he  may,  like  all  young  people,  make 
mistakes,  but  he  will  learn  yet.  He  is 
doing  some  work  that  is  good.” 

“Yes,  he  may  do  some  things  well,” 
16 


242 


LENG  TSO. 


added  Iau,  “ but  be  is  not  equal  to  the  older 
pastors.  They  know  exactly  what  to  do  and 
make  no  mistakes.  Pastor  Minturn  knows 
everything,  and  Pastor  Wagner  knows  every- 
thing. But  the  young  man  will  learn.  He 
knows  about  tools  and  building,  though.” 

Leng  Tso  noticed  that  her  brother  did  not 
talk  as  quietly  nor  as  sensibly  as  he  used  to 
speak,  and,  though  she  said  nothing,  she 
watched  him  closely.  At  first  she  thought 
it  was  excitement  about  the  trouble  of  which 
he  and  his  wife  had  spoken,  but  after  a while 
she  saw  that  he  spoke  somewhat  strangely 
about  other  things. 

Thinking  it  best  to  wait  until  she  could 
see  others,  Leng  Tso  asked  nothing  more 
about  the  school,  and  as  soon  as  able  the 
next  day  took  her  friend  to  visit  it.  There 
was  little  change  to  be  noticed  except  the 
addition  of  two  or  three  girls  and  the  ab- 
sence of  one  of  the  old  pupils.  Asking  the 
matron  where  this  one  was,  the  answer  came 
in  the  form  of  the  question, 

“ What ! have  not  you  heard  of  the  scan- 
dal ? How  can  that  be  ?” 

Without  telling  what  she  had  heard,  the 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


243 


Bible-woman  asked  what  was  meant  and  re- 
quested the  matron  to  tell  her  where  the 
girl  was. 

“ Oh,  she  has  been  taken  from  the  school,” 
was  the  reply.  “We  felt  that  she  should 
not  be  here  ; she  is  a very  wicked  girl,  and 
Won  Leng,  the  teacher,  is  a very  wicked  man. 
I am  afraid  that  the  young  pastor  will  cause 
us  a great  deal  of  trouble  before  he  grows 
old  enough  to  learn  how  to  work  aright.” 

“ No  matter  about  him,”  said  Leng  Tso — 
“ I think  he  is  too  much  blamed — but  tell  me 
what  Chui  and  the  teacher  have  done  that  is 
so  bad.” 

“ They  have  written  notes  to  each  other, 
and  he  gave  her  a present  of  a fan  and  she 
made  an  embroidered  piece  of  work  for  him. 
And  they  were  not  even  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried yet ! Only  to  think  ! Who  ever  heard 
of  such  a thing  in  the  Middle  Kingdom? 
We  have  all  felt  very  bad  about  it,  and  the 
whole  school  has  been  troubled ; even  the 
church  has  been  in  great  sorrow.” 

“ Have  any  of  the  notes  written  been 
found?”  asked  Khiau  So,  who  was  as  much 
interested  in  this  unheard-of  affair  as  any. 


244 


LENG  TSO. 


“Yes;  that  is  the  way  we  came  to  know 
about  it.  Had  it  not  been  for  finding  one 
of  the  notes  the  girl  had  written,  we  might 
never  have  known  of  all  this  evil.” 

“ What  was  in  the  note  ?”  asked  the  Bible- 
woman. 

“ That  is  the  worst  part  of  it,”  replied  the 
matron.  “ She  told  him  that  she  had  received 
his  note  and  was  so  glad  to  know  that  he 
cared  for  her,  a schoolgirl,  and  that  she  loved 
— yes,  that  is  the  word  : loved — him.  Only 
think  of  that,  and  they  not  married,  nor  even 
engaged ! Oh,  it  is  fearful ! Her  friends 
did  not  know  about  it  at  all,  nor  did  his. 
No  one  had  asked  her  mother  if  she  would 
give  her  daughter  for  the  teacher’s  wife,  nor 
had  her  mother  asked  any  one  to  talk  to 
his  friends  about  it.  To  think  that  he  and 
she,  without  any  one  even  advising,  should 
have  begun  to  form  an  engagement ! It  is 
too  bad — too  unheard  of  to  be  true.” 

“ And  she  wrote  that  she  loved  him  ?” 
asked  Khiau  So. 

“Yes,”  replied  the  matron ; “ she  said  loved; 
I am  sure  of  that  word.  We  all  heard  the 
letter  read.” 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


245 


But  liow  could  she  send  the  note  or  re- 
ceive any  note  from  the  teacher  ?”  asked  Khi- 
au  So. 

“ That  was  the  mystery  for  a while,”  an- 
swered the  matron,  “ until  her  little  brother 
told  that  the  teacher  had  given  him  a little 
paper  to  give  his  sister  Cliui  and  she  had 
given  him  one  for  the  teacher ; and  then  the 
boy  said  he  took  to  his  sister  from  the  teacher 
a fan  which  Won  Leng  said  belonged  to  her. 
He  had  carried  the  present  to  Won  Leng,  too, 
but  did  not  know  it  was  a present.  I was  so 
glad  when  she  was  taken  from  the  school  that 
I could  hardly  feel  thankful  enough.  But — 
will  you  believe  it  ? — Won  Leng  still  teaches 
the  school.  The  young  pastor,  they  say,  will 
not  let  the  others  put  the  teacher  out  of  the 
school.  He  lias  been  talked  to  about  it,  but 
says  that  it  is  not  so  great  a sin  ; if  it  were,  the 
Bible  would  have  spoken  about  it.  But  the 
church  has  punished  the  teacher  and  Chui’s 
mother,  for  she  is  guilty  too.  She  said  that 
she  did  not  know  about  Cliui  giving  a present 
to  the  teacher,  and  it  was  proved  that  she  told 
her  daughter  how  to  make  the  embroidery.” 

“ Was  it  proved  that  she  knew  what  it  was 


246 


LENG  TSO. 


for?”  asked  the  Bible-woraan,  who  was  show- 
ing rather  a strange  interest  in  the  affair. 

Proved  ’?”  repeated  the  matron.  “Would 
not  she  ask  ? Do  you  think  that  Chui  would 
tell  an  untruth  to  her  mother  ?” 

“ What  did  they  do  with  Chui’s  mother 
and  the  teacher  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

“ The  church  suspended  them  from  the 
communion.  They  both  were  members,  you 
know,  but  Chui  is  not,  or  she  would  have 
been  suspended  too.  It  was  right  and  just. 
But  Won  Leng  should  be  turned  out  of  the 
school.  A man  who  will  write  a note  to  a 
woman  before  he  is  married,  or  even  en- 
gaged, to  her  is  not  fit  to  teach  a school.” 
More  of  this  conversation  need  not  be 
given.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  this  affair 
had  created  a great  deal  of  excitement 
among  the  Chinese  Christians,  and  feeling 
had  been  shown  toward  the  missionaries, 
though  Mr.  Parton  was  especially  selected 
as  the  one  largely  to  blame  for  such  an 
unheard-of  affair.  As  he  was  the  newest 
comer,  and  as  such  a thing  had  almost  never 
been  heard  of  among  the  people,  it  was  nat- 
urally thought  that  he  must  be  the  cause. 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


247 


He  learned  of  this  opinion,  and  was  amused 
until  the  teacher  and  the  mother  of  Chui 
were  suspended,  and  then,  with  the  other 
missionaries,  he  began  to  think.  When  ask- 
ed to  remove  the  teacher  for  wliat  had  been 
done,  he  quietly,  but  as  decidedly,  refused, 
and  said  that  he  could  not  see  that  Won 
Leng  had  been  guilty  of  so  great  a sin  in  writ- 
ing notes  to  a girl  whom  he  loved,  nor  yet 
was  it  so  sinful  to  make  or  receive  presents 
from  her.  Little  was  said  to  him  about 
the  deception  practiced  by  the  teacher, 
which  was  really  the  charge  brought  against 
the  young  man  when  summoned  before  the 
church.  There  it  was  shown  that  both  the 
teacher  and  Cliui’s  mother  had  told  what 
was  untrue  in  the  affair,  and  for  such  false- 
hood they  were  suspended ; but  it  is  prob- 
able that  neither  would  have  been  suspend- 
ed had  the  young  couple  allowed  others  to 
make  the  match  and  bring  about  an  engage- 
ment, instead  of  taking  the  love-making  into 
their  own  hands. 

Love-marriages  are  not  unknown,  but  are 
rather  rare,  in  China,  and  are  regarded  by 
the  people  as  very  improper.  The  opinion 


248 


LENG  TSO. 


of  most  of  the  people  is  that  a couple  should 
not  meet,  nor  even  know  much  of  each  other 
except  by  and  through  others,  until  after  the 
marriage.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  married 
life  in  China  is  often  wretched.  A woman 
united  to  a man  whom  she  has  never  met 
until  she  has  been  married  to  him  often  learns 
that  she  has  been  cruelly  deceived ; nor  is  the 
husband  likely  to  know  much  more  of  his 
wife.  Coming  together  thus  as  strangers,  is  it 
a wonder  that  the  couple  learn  to  dislike,  and 
even  to  hate,  each  other  ? The  two  lives  are 
miserable  ; the  man  neglects  his  wife,  and  she 
fears  and  keeps  away  from  him  and  looks 
upon  her  life  as  a wretched  existence  that 
cannot  end  too  soon.  Not  unfrequently 
does  she  end  it  by  suicide. 

The  whole  story  of  this  love-making  has 
not  been  told.  Before  the  girls’  school  was 
opened,  Chui,  who  was  thought  a little  girl 
then,  attended  the  boys’  school  with  some 
other  girls.  When  Won  Leng  was  placed 
in  charge,  Chui’s  mother,  anxious  to  have 
her  girl  educated,  allowed  her  to  remain  in 
the  school,  and  the  mission,  never  thinking 
of  evil  or  that  such  a thing  as  a real  love- 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


249 


affair  would  take  place  in  that  school,  were 
glad  to  have  the  girls  remain.  When  the 
girls’  school  was  opened,  Chui  was  placed 
in  that. 

When  the  note  was  discovered,  it  was  at 
once  handed  to  the  matron,  and  then  to  the 
teacher,  and  so  to  the  pastor,  and  an  investi- 
gation was  made — not  by  the  church,  how- 
ever, until  after  it  became  evident  that  there 
had  been  falsehoods  uttered.  The  pastor, 
though  a genuine  Chinaman,  was  too  sen- 
sible a man  to  discipline  members  because 
they  wrote  love-notes.  Friends  at  once 
proposed  an  engagement  between  the  two — 
for,  as  it  fortunately  proved,  neither  was  yet 
engaged — and  as  soon  as  possible  the  marriage 
bargain  was  concluded ; but  poor  Chui  was 
at  once  taken  from  school  and  kept  closely 
at  home.  Being  an  affianced  bride,  it  was 
her  duty,  according  to  Chinese  custom,  to 
keep  secluded ; her  education  must  at  once 
stop.  The  poor  girl  was  under  a cloud ; she 
was  regarded  by  many  as  guilty  of  a great 
wrong  against  society  and  the  customs  of 
the  country,  and  most  of  her  friends  shunned 
her.  To  be  suddenly  taken  from  school  and 


250 


LENG  TSO. 


treated  as  a criminal  because  she  had  in- 
nocently and  almost  unconsciously  learned  to 
love  the  bright,  active  and  rather  handsome 
young  teacher  passed  the  understanding  of 
the  pure  and  worthy  young  girl.  That 
she  had  done  wrong  all  told  her,  but  no  one 
showed  her  that  she  had  sinned  against  God 
in  trying  to  hide  and  deceive.  The  great 
sin  ever  held  before  her  was  that  she  had 
done  contrary  to  all  Chinese  custom. 

Cliui  was  compelled  for  two  reasons  to 
remain  secluded  from  society — first,  because 
she  had  so  sadly  broken  the  rules  of  society  ; 
second,  because  that  now,  being  betrothed, 
she  must  remain  hidden  until  the  wedding- 
day,  which  had  already  been  set.  Sad  and 
very  lonely,  with  little  company  except  her 
mother,  the  young  girl  spent  the  days  of  se- 
clusion. While  she  longed  for  company,  she 
was  afraid  to  have  callers  lest  they  should  re- 
peat the  words  of  rebuke  she  had  so  often 
already  heard.  When  the  Bible-woman 
called,  Cliui  was  glad,  yet  troubled ; she 
liked  the  kind-hearted  woman,  but  expect- 
ed that  she  too  would  speak  of  her  error. 
Timidly  the  girl  greeted  Leng  Tso,  and  then 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


251 


meekly  waited  to  receive  the  reproof  she 
feared.  Though  it  did  not  come  at  once, 
Clnii  felt  sure  that  it  would  come  before 
her  caller  left. 

After  Leng  Tso  had  spoken  of  a number 
of  matters  of  little  interest  she  said, 

“ I am  sorry  that  you  were  compelled  to 
stop  school.  You  were  not  tired,  were 
you  ?” 

“ £ Tired  ’ ?”  asked  the  girl,  in  surprise. 
“ Why  should  I be  tired  ? I was  happy  at 
school,  and  only  wish  I could  have  remained 
to  learn  more.” 

“ So  do  I,”  spoke  the  Bible- woman.  “ You 
should  have  stayed  for  two  years,  that  you 
might  learn  a great  deal  and  then  be  able 
to  teach  other  women  when  you  are  mar- 
ried and  live  where  the  women  do  not 
know  about  the  truth.” 

Chui  looked  at  her  in  surprise ; such  an 
idea  was  unexpected.  For  her  to  continue 
at  school  after  falling  in  love  with  a teach- 
er, after  being  engaged  to  him  too,  and  after 
such  an  amount  of  talk  and  trouble  as  had 
been  caused ! The  girl  had  never  thought 
of  it,  and  surely  did  not  expect  to  hear 


252 


LENG  TSO. 


another  suggest  it.  Then  she  thought  that, 
as  Leng  Tso  had  been  away  from  Ha  Bun 
for  some  time,  she  had  not  heard  the  story. 
It  was  strange,  too,  for  Chui  knew  that  the 
women  of  China — and  the  men  are  not 
better — were  always  ready  to  tell  unpleas- 
ant news. 

Looking  timidly  in  the  face  of  Leng  Tso, 
the  girl  asked, 

“ Did  not  any  one  tell  you  why  I left 
school  ?” 

“ Yes ; I was  told,”  was  the  answer.  “ But 
that  is  not  reason  enough  to  make  you  at 
once  give  up  school.” 

“ But  they  said  I must  at  once  leave  the 
school,”  replied  Chui ; “ they  said  that  I 
was  not  fit  to  be  with  good  girls.  Oh,  they 
called  me  bad  names  and — But  it  may  be 
that  I did  wrong,  only  I did  not  mean  to. 
I did  not  know  it  was  wrong ; no  one  told 
me  so,  and  no  one  ever  said  it  was  wrong. 
I never  heard  the  preachers  say  so ; the 
catechism  did  not  say  anything  about  it,  and 
I never  read  in  the  holy  book  that  it  was 
wrong  to  love  a man  before  becoming  en- 
gaged to  be  married  to  him.  Is  it  wrong? 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


253 


I do  not  wish  to  do  what  is  evil.  No,  no ! 
I desire  to  do  right  and  to  please  God.  But 
they  say  that  I am  wicked and  the  young 
girl  began  to  sob.  “ It  is  so  hard  to  have 
people  say  what  they  do  about  me  and  to 
me.  Am  I so  bad  ? If  it  is  so  wrong,  why 
was  I not  taught  about  it  before  ?” 

Leng  Tso  was  troubled,  especially  by  the 
last  question,  but  she  replied  as  well  as  she 
was  able : 

“ You  must  not  expect  to  be  told  of  all 
the  evils  there  are  in  the  world  ; to  be  told 
of  them  may  make  you  long  for  them. 
That  is  the  reason  why  older  people  often 
are  silent.  But  I fear  that  they  have  treated 
you  too  harshly.” 

“ And  it  is  not  a sin  to  love  him  ?”  eager- 
ly asked  the  girl,  as  she  tried  to  draw  hope 
from  Leng  Tso.  “ I could  not  help  it,  he 
was  so  kind  and  good.  Others  would  have 
done  as  I did  had  they  been  placed  as  I was. 
But  I did  not  wish  to  care  for  him.  He  was 
the  teacher  and  I a pupil,  and  it  seemed  that 
he  was  great  and  wise — so  wise  that  he 
would  never  think  of  a schoolgirl  like  me. 
I did  not  know  that  I would  ever  like  him 


254 


LENG  TSO. 


more  than  others ; I did  not  know  anything 
about  it  until  I knew  that  he  liked  me  very 
much,  and  then  it  seemed  I liked  him  even 
more.  Was  it  wrong?” 

Without  directly  answering,  the  Bible-wo- 
man  asked, 

“ Will  you  tell  me  all  about,  it?  I cannot 
answer  until  I know,  and  from  you,  the 
whole  story.  Can  you  trust  me  enough  to 
tell  me  all?” 

Chui  hesitated.  She  was  approaching 
womanhood  in  age,  and  not  less  so  in  feel- 
ing; she  had  learned  caution,  yet  longed  for 
sympathy  and  for  a friend  to  whom  she 
could  tell  all.  If  there  was  one  whom  she 
could  trust,  the  girl  knew  it  was  Leng  Tso ; 
and  the  kindly  face  and  unreproving  words 
of  the  woman  almost  convinced  Chui  that 
she  could  tell  her  all.  Yet  uncertain,  the 
girl  replied, 

“ I have  told  all  again  and  again  ; every 
one  knows  the  whole  story,  and  that  is  the 
reason  all  speak  so  harshly.  If  I had  not 
told  it,  they  might  have  found  less  fault.” 

“ You  have  not  told  all  to  me,”  persisted 
the  Bible-woman.  “ Tell  me,  and  I will 


Types  of  Chinese  Women.  Page  2f>4. 


*• 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


255 


then  say  whether  or  not  you  have  done 
wrong,  and  will  try  to  show  you  where  the 
wrong  is,  if  wrong  there  be.” 

The  manner  rather  than  the  words  of  the 
woman  convinced  the  girl  that  she  could 
safely  tell  all  to  Leng  Tso.  She  began : 

“ I will  tell  you  all,  but  it  is  not  different 
from  what  others  know,  only  I told  as  little 
as  I could.  When  I was  in  the  school  of 
the  boys  and  the  teacher  came,  I liked  him, 
and  so  did  all  the  others,  he  was  so  kind  and 
pleasant.  He  tried  to  help  us  in  our  studies 
and  seldom  scolded.  He  wished  to  do  all  he 
could  to  help  each  one.  I could  not  under- 
stand some  things,  and  he  sat  down  and 
tried  to  make  everything  plain.  This  he 
did  to  others  as  well  as  to  me,  and  no  one 
thought  about  it.  Then,  at  worship,  he 
prayed  that  we  all  might  have  the  Lord’s 
help  in  our  studies,  and  he  talked  to  us 
about  asking  help  from  God.  I did  that ; 
so  did  others.  I was  sorry  when  the  girls’ 
school  began  and  I must  go  there,  for  the 
teacher  had  helped  me  so  much  in  my 
studies.  I told  him  so  one  day,  and  he  said 
that  he  would  be  willing  to  help  me  even 


256 


Lh,^i(jr  TSO. 


there  if  he  knew  how  to  do  it.  But  it  was 
not  right  for  him  to  go  to  the  girls’  school, 
nor  to  interfere  in  any  way.  After  I had 
been  in  that  school  a few  days  I felt  bad 
because  I did  not  have  him  to  help  me, 
and  because  the  old  teacher  did  not  help 
me  as  Won  Leng  had  done.  Then  there 
was  something  that  I could  not  learn,  and 
the  old  teacher  did  not  help  me ; so  I wrote 
a note  to  Won  Leng,  telling  him  what  I 
wanted  to  know  and  asking  if  he  would 
please  tell  me.  I gave  the  note  to  my  little 
brother  to  take  to  him.  I said  that  I missed 
him,  but  did  not  say  that  I loved  him ; I did 
not  think  of  saying  such  a tiling.  I would 
not  have  dared  to  write  had  I known  that  I 
thought  of  him  as  anything  but  a kind 
teacher.  He  sent  back  with  my  brother 
a note  telling  what  I wanted  to  know,  and 
said  that  he  missed  me  in  the  school  and 
that  he  would  be  glad  to  help  me  in  any 
part  of  my  studies.  Some  time  afterward 
I wanted  help  again,  and  sent  him  another 
note,  and  he  sent  an  answer ; in  that  way 
we  each  wrote  three  or  four  notes.  Then 
he  wrote  one  telling  how  he  missed  me,  and 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


257 


how  much  he  had  learned  to  love  the  little 
schoolgirl.  I did  not  know  what  to  think 
or  do.  I kept  that  note,  and  read  it  again  and 
again.  Then  I thought  that  I was  not  en- 
gaged to  be  married,  and  I wished  that  my 
mother  would  try  to  have  me  become  his 
wife ; but  I did  not  dare  say  a word  to  her 
or  to  any  one  about  it.  It  seemed  unwise 
for  me  to  wish  that  I might  become  the 
wife  of  a teacher,  and  one  who  might  be  a 
preacher.  What  was  I?  But  the  oftener 
I read  the  note,  the  more  I thought  and 
longed  to  see  him.  I asked  my  little  brother 
about  him,  and  was  so  glad  to  hear  him  talk 
about  the  teacher,  but  did  not  dare  to  let  any 
one  know  how  I felt.  I waited  some  days 
to  write  a reply  to  the  teacher’s  note,  for  I 
did  not  know  what  to  say.  I was  so  happy 
to  believe  that  he  cared  for  me  that  I wished 
to  tell  everybody,  yet  dared  not  say  a word, 
for  he  wrote  in  his  note  that  I must  not  read 
it  to  any  one  or  say  a word  about  it ; so  I 
kept  it  all  to  myself.  At  last  I wrote  a note 
in  reply  ; I told  him  how  glad  I was  to  know 
that  he  did  not  forget  me,  and  said  that  I 
would  never  forget  him,  and  that  I thought 
17 


258 


LENG  TSO. 


more  of  him  than  of  all  my  friends.  After  it 
was  written  I was  afraid  to  send  it  to  him  or 
to  give  it  to  my  brother,  so  kept  it  with  me ; 
and  in  some  way  it  was  lost,  and  was  found 
by  others.  Had  I known  it  was  so  wrong 
to  write  such  a note  to  him,  I would  never 
have  done  it.” 

“ And  is  that  all  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso,  when 
Chui  stopped. 

“ Yes,  all,  except  about  the  presents.  They 
say  that  I did  very  wrong  to  give  him  that 
piece  of  embroidery  and  to  receive  a present 
from  him.  I gave  it  only  because  one  day 
when  I was  in  his  school  he  asked  if  I could 
embroider ; so,  after  I learned  how,  I sent 
him  a piece  of  my  work  as  a present  and  to 
show  that  I had  learned.  Did  I do  wrong?” 

“ Is  that  all  you  did  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso,  not 
noticing  her  question. 

“ Yes,  that  is  all  that  I can  remember,” 
was  the  answer. 

“Were  you  ever  alone  with  the  teacher?” 
asked  the  woman. 

“ Alone  with  him !”  exclaimed  Chui,  in 
amazement.  “ No ; why  should  I be  ? 
There  was  nothing  he  wanted  to  tell  me 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


259 


or  I him  that  we  could  not  say  when  others 
were  by.  And  I have  not  seen  him  since  I 
went  into  the  girls’  school  except  at  meetings 
or  as  he  went  by  on  the  street.” 

“ What  did  you  do  with  the  notes  he  sent 
you  ?” 

“ I kept  them  all — I liked  to  read  them 
and  see  how  he  wrote  and  what  he  said — 
until  that  note  was  found  and  so  much 
was  said ; then  all  were  burned.” 

“ And  have  you  never  seen  him  to  speak 
to  him  since  you  left  his  school  ?” 

“ Not  once ; I have  not  spoken  to  him 
since  the  day  I left  his  school.  How  could 
I speak?  He  did  not  come  where  I was, 
and  it  was  not  right  for  me  to  go  where 
he  was.  Now  I have  told  you  all ; did  I 
do  so  very  wickedly  ?” 

Leng  Tso  felt  that  the  girl  had  told  her 
all  the  truth,  and  replied  quietly : 

“ You  should  have  told  your  mother  about 
it  all — indeed,  should  not  have  written  the 
first  note  without  asking  her.” 

“ I did  not  think  about  that,”  replied  the 
girl ; “ but  I did  tell  her  about  the  fan,  and 
she  knew  about  my  sending  him  the  embroi- 


260 


LENG  TSO. 


dered  work.  And  I think  my  brother  told 
her  that  I sent  the  notes  : she  did  not  object. 
I suppose  that  she  thought  me  only  a child, 
and  that  I was  making  a present  to  my 
teacher,  as  is  often  done  by  pupils.  I wish, 
though,  that  she  had  not  denied  that  she 
knew  anything  about  it.  Then  he  should 
not  have  said  that  some  one  else  gave  him 
the  present  and  that  he  had  not  sent  the  fan 
to  me  ; I know  that  was  not  right.  Will 
you  please  tell  me,  now  that  you  know  all, 
what  else  I did  that  was  so  wicked  ?” 

“ I do  not  think  that  you  have  been  so 
wicked,”  replied  Leng  Tso,  decidedly.  “ You 
should  not  have  written  those  notes,  and 
surely  not  the  last  one,  without  asking  your 
mother  after  showing  his  to  her.  Then  you 
should  have  told  your  mother,  if  you  liked 
him  so  well.” 

“And  was  it  not  wrong  to  like  him  before 
being  engaged  ?” 

“ No,  it  was  not,”  replied  Leng  Tso,  again 
decidedly.  “ The  holy  book  says  nothing 
against  loving  the  man  who  is  to  be  your 
husband,  but  commands  wives  and  husbands 
to  love  each  other.” 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


261 


“ Bat  he  was  not,  nor  is  he  yet,  my  hus- 
band,” interposed  Chui ; “ we  were  not  even 
engaged  to  be  married.” 

“ I see  no  sin  even  in  that,”  replied  Leng 
Tso,  “ especially  as  neither  of  you  wTas  en- 
gaged to  another  and  could  choose  whom 
you  would.” 

“ What ! I choose  ?”  asked  the  girl,  in  as- 
tonishment. “ Is  it  not  the  duty  of  parents 
and  the  go-between  to  choose  ?” 

“ That  is  the  custom  in  the  Middle  King- 
dom, but  not  of  other  countries  ; and  the 
holy  book  says  nothing  to  command  or  to 
forbid  it,  so  far  as  I know.” 

“ Then  I did  not  sin  against  God  ?”  said 
Chui,  with  a great  sigh  of  relief.  “ That  is 
what  troubled  me  greatly.  I knew  that  I 
wished  to  serve  him,  and  I was  trying  to  be 
his  disciple  and  hoped  soon  to  become  a 
member  of  the  church  ; but  this  came  so 
suddenly  and  so  terribly  against  me,  as  if 
to  destroy  me.  Then  some  said  that  I was 
not  fit  to  be  a member  of  the  church,  and 
that  I was  not  fit  to  be  with  Christians.  It 
seemed  so  terrible.  All  was  so  bright  and 
I was  so  happy  before.  It  appeared  as 


262 


LEXG  TSO. 


if  a typhoon  had  suddenly  come  in  the  most 
beautiful  calm  day  and  was  tearing  down 
and  uprooting  all  I had.  But” — and  she 
asked  the  question  with  hesitation — “ after 
we  are  married  will  I still  love  him  ?” 

“ Why  not?”  asked  the  Bible-woman. 

“ Some  women  told  me  that  it  would  be  a 
just  punishment  to  me  if  I hated  him  after 
we  were  married.  They  said  that  those  who 
love  before  they  are  engaged  cannot  exjiect 
to  love  after  marriage.” 

“ Why  should  that  be  ? If  a woman 
loves  really  and  gives  her  heart  entirely  to  a 
man,  she  will  not  take  it  back,  if  she  be  a 
true  woman  and  he  a man  worthy  her  love.” 
“And  will  God  forgive  me?  Will  I dare 
go  to  the  inquiry-meeting  again  ?” 

“ Certainly  ; God  says  he  will  forgive  the 
sins  of  all  who  come  to  him  trusting  in  the 
Saviour.  But  be  careful  that  you  ask  it  for 
Jesus’  sake.  The  inquiry-meeting  is  just 
the  place  for  you.  You  must  not  think  that 
because  you  have  not  done  according  to  the 
customs  of  the  Middle  Kingdom  you  have 
not  done  according  to  the  law  of  God  ; our 
customs  and  his  law  may  be  very  different. 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


263 


If  you  have  not  broken  his  law,  you  have 
not  sinned  against  him.  His  law  forbids 
only  such  customs  as  are  sinful,  and  the 
holy  book  leaves  many  of  the  customs  of  a 
people  to  itself.” 

“ Now  I see,”  spoke  the  girl ; “ I have  not 
sinned  against  God,  but  against  the  customs 
of  the  Middle  Kingdom,  and  the  Middle- 
Kingdom  people  are  punishing  me  for  it. 
And  that  is  the  reason  why  the  new  foreign 
pastor — and,  I think,  the  others  too — say  so 
little  about  it.  Our  own  pastor  did  not  say  I 
had  done  wrong,  except  that  we  had  all  de- 
ceived, and  that  I and  the  teacher  had  been 
very  unwise  in  acting  as  we  had  to  cause  so 
much  talk  and  trouble.  But  he  is  such  a 
kind  and  loving  pastor  ! Have  you  heard  what 
the  teacher  says  and  how  he  is  treated  and  how 
he  feels  ? I am  so  sorry  that  he  must  suffer 
because  of  me.  If  you  see  him,  will  you  tell 
him  that  I am  sorry  to  have  given  him  pain  ?” 

Leng  Tso  was  willing  to  promise,  for  she 
felt  as  few  could  a deep  sympathy  for  the 
girl,  and  more  than  once  during  this  call 
had  been  more  than  half  tempted  to  tell 
her  own  story. 


264 


LENG  TSO. 


After  a few  minutes  of  talk  on  other  sub- 
jects Cliui  asked, 

“Am  I so  much  worse  than  others  in 
loving  one  to  whom  I am  not  engaged?” 

“ Is  it  wrong  to  love  that  which  is  good 
and  noble?  No;  we  cannot  help  loving 
such  beings  when  we  are  constantly  with 
them.  That,  I think,  is  the  reason  why  our 
ancestors  so  arranged  society  in  the  Middle 
Kingdom : they  knew  that  women  would 
love  the  good  men  and  hate  the  bad,  so 
that  the  bad  would  be  left  without  wives. 
For  the  sake  of  the  bad  men  the  custom 
was  made.” 

“Do  you  think  so?”  asked  the  girl,  in 
wonder. 

“ I think  so,  but  do  not  know  it  to  be  the 
fact,”  was  the  reply. 

“ If  I could  only  know  that  some  one 
who  was  not  bad  had  done  as  I have  done,  I 
would  not  feel  so  badly  about  it,”  said  Chui, 
half  to  herself. 

Leng  Tso  looked  for  a while  at  Chui,  and 
then  asked, 

“ Would  you  like  to  hear  about  one  who 
loved  a young  man  as  you  do  ?” 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


265 


“ Yes,  I would,”  was  the  eager  answer. 
“Was  it  in  the  Middle  Kingdom?” 

“ Yes,  and  not  far  from  this  city.  You 
know  the  woman,  though  you  may  not  know 
the  man.” 

“ Do  I know  her  ?”  asked  the  girl,  anxious- 
ly. “ Who  is  she  ? Who  is  the  man,  too  ? 
But  I wish  to  know  who  the  woman  is.” 

“ Listen  and  I will  tell  her  story,  and  you 
may  then  ask,  if  you  wish  to  know  ;”  and 
then  the  Bible-woman  began  to  tell  her  own 
story.  As  part  of  it  is  already  known  to 
the  reader,  and  all  of  it  to  those  who  have 
read  the  Chinese  Slave- Girl,  the  story  will 
not  be  told  here  in  full  as  told  by  Leng  Tso. 
In  brief,  it  was  this : 

“A  small  child  was  sold  in  time  of  great 
drought  to  save  her  life  and  to  gain  a little 
money  to  keep  the  rest  of  the  family  from 
starving-.  The  man  who  bought  her  took  her 
to  a village  where  he  lived  and  made  her  his 
slave.  He  was  unkind  to  the  child ; an  old 
woman  in  the  village  took  pity  on  the  little 
stranger  and  treated  her  kindly,  and  almost 
made  the  little  one  her  own  child.  This 
woman,  who  was  quite  old,  had  a grandson 


266 


LENG  TSO. 


— a noble  boy — a few  years  older  than  the 
slave-girl.  He  saw  how  the  child  was  abused 
by  her  master,  and  when  able  gave  her  all 
the  help  he  could.  He  treated  her  as  if  she 
had  been  his  sister.  The  two  were  together 
with  the  other  children  of  the  village  when- 
ever they  could  be,  this  boy  always  taking 
the  side  of  the  slave-girl  and  defending  her 
against  all  enemies.  The  girl,  as  she  grew 
older,  loved  the  brave  boy  and  looked  on 
him  as  a hero  ; she  learned  that  he  cared  as 
much  for  her  as  she  did  for  him.  As  they 
grew  older  he  told  her  that  he  meant  to  buy 
her  from  her  master  and  make  her  his  wife. 
For  years  they  lived  in  this  way — she  as 
happy  as  a slave-girl  could  be  with  such  a 
master,  and  he  happy  in  the  belief  that 
when  he  was  a man  he  would  buy  her  to 
become  his  wife.  The  master  took  a great 
dislike  to  the  youth.  When  the  boy’s 
father  tried  to  buy  the  girl,  the  master 
charged  such  a high  price  that  no  bargain 
could  be  made.  After  a time  the  boy — now 
almost  a man — told  his  friends  and  the 
slave-girl  his  purpose,  and  started  from 
home  to  earn  money  more  rapidly,  that  he 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


267 


might  buy  the  girl.  He  remained  away  for 
several  years.  In  the  mean  time,  the  girl’s 
master  sold  her  to  become  the  second  wife 
of  an  opium-smoker.  He  became  a gambler, 
and  when  in  a gambling-shop  one  day  after 
he  had  lost  all  his  property  offered  his 
second  wife  for  sale  to  any  one  who  would 
give  him  money  with  which  to  gamble.  In 
this  way  she  became  the  property  of  another 
man,  who  made  her  his  wife.  This  man 
was  killed  in  the  destruction  of  the  Foo 
city,  and  his  property  was  destroyed  ; after 
that  the  wTife  was  free.  Some  time  after 
she  wTas  sold  to  become  the  second  wTife 
of  the  man  to  whom  her  master  sold  her,  the 
young  man  returned  to  his  native  village 
with  money  enough  to  buy  the  slave-girl. 
Finding  that  she  had  been  already  sold,  he 
turned  away  in  despair  and  moved  to  the 
Foo  city,  where  he  started  in  business  and 
became  wealthy.  After  some  years,  while 
passing  along  the  street,  he  saw  the  former 
slave-girl,  now  the  wife  of  the  man  who  had 
bought  her  from  the  gambler.  He  knew 
her,  and  she  him.  As  they  met  the  old 
love  revealed  itself,  but,  according  to  the 


LENG  TSO. 


268 

rules  of  society,  they  could  not  meet  except 
with  the  husband’s  permission  and  in  his 
presence.  The  man,  through  others,  tried 
to  buy  from  her  husband  this  woman,  but 
he  was  unwilling  to  part  with  a wife  whom 
he  loved  ; she  knew  nothing  of  the  proposed 
offer.  In  time  the  man  who  loved  her  was 
persuaded  to  marry  another  woman— one  far 
better  educated  and  of  a more  aristocratic 
family — yet  neither  he  nor  she  could  forget 
the  one  loved  in  childhood.  When  the  Foo 
city  was  captured,  this  man  and  his  wife 
were  away,  and  so  were  saved,  but  their  prop- 
erty was  destroyed.  Years  after,  all  three  of 
these — the  man  and  his  wife  and  the  former 
slave-girl,  now  a widow — became  Christians 
and  met.  He  was  a preacher  and  the 
widow  was  a Bible-woman.” 

“ Was  that  woman  yourself?”  asked  Chui 
suddenly  interrupting. 

“ Yes,”  replied  Leng  Tso  ; “ it  was  I.” 
“And  is  the  man  yet  living?  and  is  his 
wife  alive?” 

“ Yes,  both  are  alive.” 

“ Who  is  the  man  ?” 

This  was  asked  with  so  much  hesitation 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


269 


that  the  Bible-woman  had  little  difficulty  in 
saying, 

“ I can  tell  only  the  woman’s  name,  but 
must  say  nothing  more  about  the  man.” 

“ Do  you  love  him  yet  ?”  asked  the  girl, 
with  a strange  earnestness  in  look  and  tone. 

“Yes,”  replied  the  woman,  with  deep  feel- 
ing ; “ I love  him  yet.” 

“ And  you  loved  as  I do,  and  love  yet ! 
How  strange ! Is  his  wife  living  ?” 

“ Yes,  both  are  living,”  said  Leng  Tso,  not 
noticing  that  she  had  been  asked  and  had  an- 
swered that  question  before. 

“ Does  she  know  you  ? and  does  she  know 
that  you  love  him  ?” 

“Yes;  he  told  her  all,  for  she  has  talked 
to  me  about  it.  I know  her  well ; she  is  as 
true  and  noble  as  he  is,  and  I love  her  as  a 
sister,  because  she  is  so  good,  so  kind  to  him 
and  so  true  to  me.  She  is  not  to  blame  that 
he  did  not  buy  me  back.  It  is  not  her  fault, 
and  why  should  she  feel  troubled  ? There  ! I 
have  said  all  there  is  to  be  told.  Now  let 
me  ask,  ‘ Do  you  think  you  are  the  only  one 
in  the  Middle  Kingdom  who  ever  loved  a man 
to  whom  she  was  not  already  engaged  ’ ?” 


270 


LENG  TSO. 


“ But  he  meant  to  marry  you,”  said  Chui, 
“ and  went  to  get  the  money  to  buy  you  for 
his  wife.  The  bargain  seemed  almost  made ; 
nothing  but  the  money  was  needed.” 

“ True,”  replied  the  woman  ; “ but  I too 
have  often  asked  myself  if  I was  not  sin- 
ning by  holding  hidden  in  my  heart  this 
love  for  a man  who  is  the  husband  of  an- 
other. I too  have  prayed  God  to  forgive 
me  and  to  help  me  to  conquer  the  love.” 

“ Have  you  conquered  ?” 

“ Yes,  in  one  way.  I can  pray  that  God 
will  make  the  lives  of  him  and  his  wife  hap- 
py and  spare  them  to  each  other,  and  I have 
long  since  learned  to  say,  ‘ Thy  will  be  done.’ 
I think  had  it  been  otherwise  I might  not 
have  known  about  the  gospel,  and  might 
never  have  been  able  to  tell  others  of  it.” 
The  visit  of  the  Bible-woman  gave  Chui 
great  comfort,  and  Leng  Tso  became  deeply 
interested  in  the  young  girl.  There  was  a 
bond  of  sympathy  that  drew  them  closely 
together,  and  the  Bible-woman’s  kindly 
words  to  others  for  the  girl  had  no  little 
influence  in  turning  the  sympathy  of  oth- 
ers toward  Chui. 


LOVE  IN  THE  SCHOOL. 


271 


Won  Leng  continued  to  teach  in  the  boys’ 
school,  but  was  transferred  to  another  place 
after  a time,  and  thither  he  took  with  him 
his  young  bride,  Chui.  After  the  wedding 
all  the  talk  ceased,  and  she  was  regarded 
with  the  same  feelings  as  other  wives. 

It  is  often  said  that  love  before  marriage 
— rather,  before  engagement — in  China  is 
unknown.  As  a rule,  that  statement  will 
hold  true,  but  it  has  exceptions  ; the  most 
noted  instance  of  which  the  author  knew 
while  in  that  country  is  the  one  he  has 
just  related. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  A N TI- FE E TBINDING  SOCIETY. 
URING  the  stay  at  Ha  Bun  of  the  two 


women  from  up  the  country  there  was  no 
little  discussion  about  unbinding  the  feet  of 
women  and  girls.  So  much  had  been  said 
that  the  people  were  thinking,  and  thinking 
wisely,  about  this  strange  and  foolish  custom. 
Of  course  the  thinking  and  the  talking  were 
mostly  among  the  Christians  and  those  who 
mingled  with  them,  yet  people  outside  of  the 
church  heard  the  talk  and  had  their  thoughts 
as  well.  That  such  thoughts  were  always  in 
favor  of  binding  the  feet  of  women  and  girls 
need  not  be  supposed:  China  has  sensible 
people.  Yet  the  vast  majority  looked  at  any 
effort  toward  unbinding  the  feet  as  un-Chi- 
nese and  foreign  not  only,  but  as  a part  of 
the  foreign  religion.  To  meet  the  sneers  of 
these  and  hear  them  say  that  the  foreigners 


272 


THE  ANTI-FEETBINDING  SOCIETY.  273 


were  controlling  the  minds  of  the  people  was 
not  easy  for  the  Christians.  It  needed  no 
little  urging  as  well  as  instruction  to  per- 
suade the  Christians  to  take  any  forward 
movement.  They  could  not  see  why  this 
custom  should  be  given  up,  especially  as  the 
Bible  said  nothing  against  it,  and  the  most 
of  them  quietly  settled  down  to  let  the  whole 
matter  alone.  But  it  was  impossible  to  si- 
lence the  missionaries  or  the  Chinese  pastors 
and  preachers,  who  would  persist  in  telling 
their  hearers  that  it  was  unnatural,  and  even 
sinful,  to  deform  the  body  for  the  sake  of  a 
fancied  beauty.  At  length  some  were  con- 
vinced that  something  must  be  done,  if  for 
no  other  reason  than  to  quiet  the  voice  of 
conscience  and  of  the  preachers ; but  there 
were  a few  who  from  earnest  conviction  were 
ready  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  stop  the 
binding  of  feet.  Such  proved  their  sincer- 
ity by  acts.  Especially  was  this  the  case 
with  the  family  of  one  of  the  native  pastors. 
His  wife  unbound  the  feet  of  her  eldest 
daughters  and  left  the  feet  of  the  younger 
ones  unbound. 

“ What  had  better  be  done  ?”  asked  one  of 
18 


274 


LENG  TSO. 


the  preachers  of  another.  “ We  may  con- 
tinue to  talk,  but  unless  we  act  the  talk  will 
be  wasted.  We  must  show  that  we  mean  to 
do  something  and  are  ready  to  do  it.” 

“ So  I think,”  added  the  other.  “ But 
‘ What?’  and  ‘How?’  are  questions  all  can 
ask.  Who  will  answer?  The  foreign  pas- 
tors say  we  should  meet  together  and  talk 
of  the  matter  in  a public  gathering,  and  learn 
what  others  are  ready  to  do  or  to  propose.” 

“ True,”  spoke  the  first  one.  “ It  is  use- 
less to  try  to  keep  a fire  with  a single  stick  ; 
bring  many  dry  ones  together,  and  there  will 
be  heat  if  only  a small  flame  be  applied.” 

A meeting  was  called  in  a church  in  the 
city,  and  all  interested  in  binding  or  in  un- 
binding feet  were  invited ; the  meeting  was 
held  on  a weekday  afternoon.  It  was  thought 
best  that  the  first  meeting  should  be  for  women 
only.  About  seventy  women  were  present ; 
three  missionaries  and  two  native  pastors 
were  on  the  platform,  and  thus  with  about 
seventy-five  in  the  first  gathering  an  anti- 
feetbinding  society  began  a work  that  is  like- 
ly to  become  in  China  not  very  unlike  that 
of  the  total-abstinence  societies  of  America. 


THE  ANTI-FEETBINDING  SOCIETY.  275 


The  meeting  was  conducted  by  the  preach- 
ers, native  as  well  as  foreign.  Addresses  were 
made  showing  the  injury  and  wrong  of  bind- 
ing the  feet  of  girls  and  women  and  appeal- 
ing to  those  present  to  make  a start  in  break- 
ing down  the  evil  custom.  Many  of  those 
present  were  ready  to  begin  if  some  would 
but  lead  the  way.  The  speakers  had  decided 
on  the  way : this  was  to  sign  a pledge  not  to 
bind  the  feet  of  their  young  daughters,  and 
to  remove  the  bandages  from  those  already 
bound.  When  such  a pledge  was  suggested, 
many  a woman  closed  her  lips  firmly  and 
shook  her  head,  as  if  to  let  it  be  known  that 
she  would  not  sign  it ; others  were  willing 
and  ready.  There  was  a low  buzzing  among 
the  women,  some  appealing  to  others  to  sign 
and  others  inspiring  their  friends  to  refuse. 
The  pledge  was  offered  to  each  woman,  and, 
to  the  surprise  of  all,  forty  signed  it.  Among 
these  was  the  wife  of  one  of  the  pastors,  and 
her  mother,  who  was  more  than  seventy 
years  old.  It  seemed  absurd  for  this  old 
lady  to  sign  such  a pledge,  her  children  all 
being  grown  and  married ; but  it  was  soon 
seen  that  old  Mrs.  Lee — for  that  was  her 


276 


LENG  TSO. 


name — did  not  sign  as  a mere  form.  She 
afterward  told  her  daughter  and  others, 

“ I do  not  mean  to  ask  others  to  do  what 
I am  not  willing  to  do  myself.  It  will  not 
do  for  a Christian  to  say  ‘ Go,’  but  ‘ Come.’  ” 

“ Why,  mother,”  spoke  the  daughter,  “ do 
you  mean  to  unbind  your  feet?” 

“Surely  I do,”  was  the  reply. 

In  vain  friends  told  Mrs.  Lee  that  for  one 
so  old  there  was  an  excuse,  and  that  she  need 
not  unbind  her  feet ; it  was  not  expected  of 
her. 

“ No  matter  what  is  expected,”  replied 
she.  “ What  will  he  the  effect  of  my  ex- 
ample? I must  let  my  light  shine  before 
the  world.  How  can  I do  it  but  by  unbind- 
ing my  feet?” 

This  anti-feetbinding  society  made  quite  a 
stir  in  the  city,  especially  among  Christians. 
Some  were  as  decidedly  in  its  favor  as  others 
were  against  it. 

Few  supposed  that  any  but  young  women 
and  girls  would  be  expected  to  unbind  their 
feet.  But  when  the  wife  of  one  of  the 
pastors  unbound  her  own  feet,  and  her  aged 
mother  did  the  same,  other  women  began  to 


THE  A NTI-FEETBINDING  SOCIETY.  277 


ask  themselves  whether  they  were  expected 
to  follow  the  example.  Not  a few  were  re- 
lieved to  learn  that  old  Mrs.  Lee  was  unable 
to  walk  with  the  bandages  removed,  and  was 
compelled  to  restore  them. 

“It  might  be  the  same  with  us,”  suggested 
several,  “and  why  should  we  cripple  ourselves 
so  as  to  be  unable  to  walk  at  all?  We  can 
walk  now,  and  better  walk  poorly  than  be 
helpless.” 

Some,  however,  unbound  their  feet  for  a 
while  and  then  rebound  them,  to  become 
accustomed  to  the  change  gradually.  Mrs. 
Lee  felt  disappointed  when  she  saw  that  to 
keep  the  pledge  as  she  understood  it  she 
made  herself  a cripple  and  a captive. 

“ I have  been  chained,”  said  she,  “ for  life, 
and  must  wear  the  chains,  but  better  wear 
them  with  a little  liberty  than  exchange 
them  for  a prison.” 

The  first  meeting  created  no  little  talk. 
Men  took  part  in  it  as  well  as  women,  but 
the  male  portion  were  more  in  favor  of  the 
movement  than  were  those  who  suffered 
most  from  the  evil.  They  were  anxious  to 
attend  a meeting  themselves  if  another  was 


278 


LENG  TSO. 


held.  When  the  people  were  anxious  for  it 
and  the  excitement  had  become  great,  another 
gathering  was  called,  in  the  largest  church, 
and  men  as  well  as  women  were  invited. 
The  house  was  full.  People  came  from 
churches  out  of  the  city.  Preachers  from 
other  places,  as  well  as  from  Ha  Bun,  were 
there.  Women  filled  the  places  for  the 
female  part  of  the  congregation,  and  men 
the  body  of  the  church.  Addresses  were 
delivered  by  one  and  another  after  the  object 
of  the  gathering  had  been  stated,  but  that 
which  gave  the  most  interest  to  the  meeting 
was  a paper  read  by  one  of  the  young 
preachers,  Lee  Choli  Lin.  As  this  paper, 
written  by  a Chinaman,  gives,  as  far  as  the 
author  has  ever  seen,  the  best  description  of 
the  evils  of  feet-binding,  a translation  of 
the  main  portion  of  the  essay  is  given  : 

“ As  to  binding  the  feet,  the  custom  is  piti- 
able and  to  be  abominated,  because  it  greatly 
injures  people  and  is  extremely  distressing. 
Some  bind  until  the  flesh  is  rotten  and  vile; 
some,  until  the  bones  are  broken  and  the  calf 
of  the  leg  withers  away.  Some  become  so 
weak  that  they  cannot  hold  their  chopsticks 


THE  ANTI-FEETBINDING  SOCIETY.  279 


to  take  their  food,  and  some  grow  pale  and 
emaciated  and  end  their  lives  in  consump- 
tion. 

“When  the  feet  are  bound  at  first,  some 
cry  continually  ; they  even  cry  aloud  as  they 
weep,  and  call  with  a loud  and  mournful 
voice  for  help.  Their  fear  becomes  so  great 
that  feet  and  hands  tremble  and  from  the 
whole  body  flows  a cold  sweat. 

“ After  the  feet  have  become  of  proper 
shape  and  size  there  is  always  more  or  less 
pain  and  trouble,  caused  by  the  pressure  of 
the  nails  into  the  flesh.  In  some  cases  the 
foot  becomes  rotten ; then  they  sprinkle  on 
alum  or  plaster  with  salt  vegetables.  When 
in  pain  and  distress,  they  call  out,  saying, 
‘ For  what  purpose  is  this  binding  of  my 
feet?’  Some  curse  and  revile  their  lives, 
saying,  ‘ Binding  my  feet ! Oh,  that  some  one 
would  kill  me  !’  They  groan  over  and  de- 
plore their  cruel  fate,  because  the  large  is  turn- 
ed into  the  small,  the  straight  into  the  crook- 
ed, and  the  five  members  are  bound  into  one. 
They  have  less  strength,  more  suffering  and 
are  less  able  to  walk  than  those  Avhose  feet 
are  unbound.  In  ascending  hills,  descend- 


280 


LENG  TSO. 


ing  steeps,  crossing  difficult  places,  and  in 
everything,  there  is  more  inconvenience  and 
more  misery.  To  speak  of  all  the  particu- 
lars of  this  evil  a whole  day  would  not  be 
sufficient. 

“This  custom  is  not  only  injurious  to  hu- 
manity, but  is  plainly  sinning  against  God. 
Such  private  torture  is  far  worse  than  that 
received  in  punishment  by  law  ; for  there,  in 
many  cases,  by  paying  money  one  can  be  re- 
leased, but  in  the  case  of  feet-binding  the  tor- 
ture lasts  a lifetime.  Can  this  be  without  sin  ? 
We  must  remember  that  God  is  all-wise  and 
made  our  bodies  and  all  our  members,  each 
member  being  perfect.  Man  must  be  very 
brave  to  dare  to  use  this  cruel  method  and 
violently  change  what  God  has  made.  Can 
such  a person  be  without  sin?  I think  not. 
Any  one  willing  to  think  carefully  will  know 
that  this  custom  is  far  from  right.  It  cer- 
tainly does  not  profit,  and  only  injures.  In 
the  first  place,  it  injures  one’s  self ; in  the  sec- 
ond place,  it  injures  others  ; thirdly,  it  is  not 
in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God.  Thus 
it  is  plain  that  the  feet  should  not  be  bound. 

“ What  a pity  to  see  so  many  of  the  chil- 


THE  ANTI-FEETBINDING  SOCIETY.  281 


dren  of  the  church  with  bound  feet!  We 
should  mourn  over  this.  It  is  a great  mis- 
take of  the  parents.  They  do  not  think 
deeply,  but  obstinately  follow  the  customs 
of  the  world.  They  have  always  heard  their 
parents  say,  ‘ Not  bound,  not  pretty ; not 
bound,  not  fit  to  behold.’  Now,  I think  that 
bound  feet  are  not  pretty,  because  the  foot  that 
God  has  made  has  five  toes,  long  and  short,  in 
proper  proportion  and  very  pretty.  When 
a foot  is  bound,  this  pattern  is  destroyed ; 
for  all  are  made  into  one  bundle.  Nor  is 
the  pattern  always  the  same,  for  some 
bind  in  one  shape,  and  some  in  another. 

“ When  a woman  wishes  to  unbind  her 
feet  for  an  airing,  she  always  does  it  in  a 
concealed  place.  If  a man  should  come,  she 
would  run  or  cover  her  feet,  because  she  is 
ashamed  of  them.  That  shame  is  proof  that 
her  feet  are  not  fit  to  be  seen.  What  a pity 
that  people  will  follow  the  customs  of  the 
world  more  faithfully  than  they  do  the  doc- 
trines of  God ! 

“ Some  excuse  themselves  by  saying  that 
unbound  feet  are  not  honorable,  and  that 
such  as  have  them  are  not  fit  to  associate 


282 


LENG  TSO. 


with  respectable  people,  and  that  they  will 
he  looked  upon  as  slaves.  But  if  we  look 
at  this  carefully,  we  will  see  that  bound  feet 
are  not  honorable,  because  binding  makes 
them  vile.  Surely  that  is  not  honorable? 
If  seen  and  touched  by  a clean  person,  he 
must  wash  his  hands  before  he  touches  a rice- 
bowl,  takes  hold  of  chopsticks  or  puts  food  to 
his  mouth.  Men  are  so  conformed  to  this 
world  that  they  call  dishonorable  things  hon- 
orable, and  thus  turn  everything  around. 

“ If  all  the  women  would  leave  their  feet  un- 
bound, like  women  in  other  countries,  whose 
feet  are  pretty  and  honorable,  it  wTould  be 
far  better.  What  is  made  pretty  is  pretty, 
and  what  is  made  ugly  is  ugly.  Our  em- 
press, for  example,  although  she  does  not 
bind  her  feet,  is  considered  honorable.* 
Now,  among  the  bound-footed  women,  who 
can  compare  with  the  empress  in  honor? 
Who  can  associate  with  her  even  as  an 
equal?  Who  dares,  because  her  feet  are 
not  bound,  call  her  a slave  ? Thus  you 

* The  Mantchu  Tartars— and  that  includes  the  emperor’s 
family — do  not  bind  the  feet  of  women  and  girls,  but  allow 
them  to  grow  as  nature  made  those  members. 


THE  ANTI-FEETB TNDING  SOCIETY.  283 


may  know  that  those  whose  lot  it  is  to  be 
honorable  will  be  honorable,  and  those  whose 
place  it  is  to  be  lowly  will  be  lowly.  Though 
you  bind  your  feet  small  enough  to  put  them 
in  a rice-measure,  yet,  if  you  are  of  the 
lowly,  you  will  remain  lowly  still.  If  you 
are  not  pretty,  will  binding  your  feet  make 
you  so  ? For  instance,  if  you  have  a crook- 
ed nose,  can  you  make  it  straight  by  binding 
your  feet?  If  your  face  be  black,  will  bind- 
ing your  feet  make  it  fair  ? Certainly  not. 
So  you  may  know  that  there  is  no  profit  in 
binding  the  feet,  but  injury  only. 

“ Shall  not  all  of  us  who  are  Christians 
exert  ourselves  to  have  this  custom  removed 
from  our  churches  ? The  holy  book  bids  us 
not  to  be  conformed  to  this  world.  There 
are  daughters  of  Jezebel  constantly  whis- 
pering in  your  ears,  saying,  ‘ Do  bind  ! Do 
bind!  You  must  not  unbind!  You  must 
not  unbind !’  But  do  not  listen ; rather, 
learn  of  Sarah,  whose  daughters  you  are, 
and  thus  glorify  God.” 

The  address  of  young  Mr.  Lee  was  lis- 
tened to  with  interest  and  made  a lasting 
impression.  The  young  man  was  popular,  and 


284 


LENG  TSO. 


anything  from  him  would  have  effect.  All 
knew  that  what  he  said  was  true,  yet  on  the 
other  hand  remained  the  fact  that  large-foot- 
ed women  wTere  looked  upon  as  poor,  degrad- 
ed, and  even  slaves,  while  those  having  small 
feet  were  counted  among  the  better  class. 

“ It  is  all  true,”  said  one  man  to  his 
neighbor ; “ but  if  we  allow  our  girls  to  un- 
bind their  feet,  we  cannot  marry  them  to 
respectable  wealthy  men  and  cannot  get  a 
good  price  for  them.” 

“ True,”  was  the  answer ; “ and  we  cannot 
afford  to  bring  up  daughters  to  marry  men 
below  their  own  station,  and  then  receive  a 
price  that  does  not  pay  for  one-fourth  of  the 
trouble  and  cost  we  have  had.  Foot-binding 
is  evil,  but  to  escape  that  we  meet  another 
that  may  be  far  greater.” 

The  meeting  did  not  break  up  when  the 
addresses  closed  ; then  began  the  real  busi- 
ness of  the  gathering.  The  people  willing 
to  engage  in  the  new  movement  organized 
themselves  into  a society  whose  object  was  to 
change  the  custom  of  binding  the  feet  of  the 
girls  and  women  of  China. 

“ But  we  must  do  more,”  said  a man, 


THE  A NT l-  FEET  I)  IN  DING  SOCIETY.  285 


before  the  meeting  adjourned.  “This  is  not 
a work  for  the  women  alone : the  men — 
especially  the  young  men — can  help  a great 
deal  in  this.” 

After  a minute  or  two  of  silence  the 
speaker  continued : 

“ Let  the  young  men  sign  a pledge  that 
they  will  not  marry  girls  whose  feet  are 
bound.  Instead  of  making  small  feet  a 
prize,  let  them  be  regarded  as  the  mark  of 
weakness.  Then  every  girl  will  wish  to 
have  her  feet  left  the  natural  size.” 

This  last  address  made  more  of  an  impres- 
sion than  anything  that  had  been  said. 

“ We  must  have  a pledge  for  the  young 
men,”  said  one.  “ Let  them  agree  not  to 
marry  women  with  small  feet,  and  then  the 
bandages  will  speedily  disappear.” 

No  one  opposed  the  motion,  though  some 
of  the  young  men  yet  unmarried  and  not 
engaged  wished  that  some  one  would  say  a 
word  or  two  against  such  a pledge.  They 
might  be  willing  enough  to  marry  large- 
footed women,  but  how  would  they  feel  to 
have  the  world  speak  of  their  wives  as  of 
the  lowest  class  ? 


286 


LENG  TSO. 


None  was  more  elated  than  the  Bible- 
woman  at  the  result  of  this  meeting.  That 
for  which  she  had  so  long  looked  had  begun. 
Justice  to  Leng  Tso  suggests  that,  while 
she  was  a large-footed  woman,  it  was  not 
that  she  might  have  company  among  the 
people  of  the  church,  but  that  the  women 
might  with  her  enjoy  a blessing  that  she 
could  fully  appreciate,  that  made  her  long  to 
see  every  woman  and  every  girl  remove  the 
bandages  from  her  feet. 

These  meetings  of  the  anti-feetbinding 
society  were  held  each  quarter,  and  were 
attended  by  large  numbers.  While  the  ex- 
citement caused  by  the  movement  soon 
lessened,  the  interest  continued,  and  the 
society  grew  in  members  and  in  strength. 
It  is  living  and  working  quietly  but  decided- 
ly yet,  and  will  probably  never  die  until  the 
last  bound  foot  in  China  is  laid  in  the  grave. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 

THE  differences  between  Kliiau  and  Liong 
had  arisen  slowly,  but  they  came  to  stay. 
Before  he  became  a Christian,  Liong  had 
been  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  village,  and 
he  could  not  get  rid  of  the  desire  to  regain 
his  old  position.  He  had  received  very 
little  religious  instruction,  and  his  wayward- 
ness was  more  the  result  of  ignorance  than 
of  wickedness.  Kliiau  was  a little  inclined 
to  be  overbearing,  so  that  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  say  which  was  the  more  to  blame. 
The  feeling  between  the  two  men  did  not 
take  the  form  of  quarrels. 

Liong  showed  his  feeling  rather  in  a dis- 
satisfied manner  and  an  unwillingness  to  do 
what  the  preacher  requested.  One  day  he 
surprised  Khiau  with  a request  that  the  mis- 
sionaries be  informed  that  he  had  need  of 
the  building  used  as  a chapel  and  would  be 
glad  if  they  would  give  it  back  to  him. 

287 


288 


LENG  TSO. 


“ But  wliat  shall  we  do  for  a house  in 
which  to  worship  ? There  is  no  other  that 
we  can  get.” 

“ I cannot  say,”  replied  Liong.  “ You  are 
the  leader  here,  and  it  will  be  your  work  to 
find  another  place.” 

Khiau  sent  the  message  to  the  missionaries 
and  sadly  told  them  that  no  other  building 
suitable  for  a chapel  could  be  had  in  the 
place ; if  service  was  to  be  continued,  a new 
chapel  must  be  built. 

It  was  a time  of  great  scarcity  of  money 
in  the  mission,  but  the  necessity  was  plain, 
and  it  was  decided  to  build  a new  chapel  at 
Thau  Pau  as  soon  as  possible.  Word  was 
sent  that  the  mission  would  help,  but  the  peo- 
ple must  do  all  they  could.  This  was  good 
news  to  all.  Even  Liong  was  glad  to  have  a 
new  chapel  in  the  village,  and  the  rest  of  the 
people  were  thankful,  for  the  old  building  was 
anything  but  comfortable. 

They  busied  themselves  with  trying  to  col- 
lect money  for  the  new  chapel,  but  money  was 
far  from  plenty,  and  many  of  the  villagers 
wTould  far  rather  have  given  money  to  keep 
a chapel  away  than  to  build  one  near  them. 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 


289 


After  great  effort  twenty-seven  dollars  was 
collected,  and  the  mission  agreed  to  add  fifty 
to  this  amount.  It  was  found  that  more 
money  would  be  needed  to  complete  the 
building,  and  three  dollars  additional  were 
collected  in  the  village,  and  the  mission  add- 
ed twenty  ; so  that  the  chapel  cost  about  one 
hundred  dollars,  a little  less  than  one-third 
of  which  was  given  by  the  people.  This 
sum  appears  very  small  to  us,  but  thirty  dol- 
lars was  an  immense  sum  for  the  poor  people 
of  Thau  Pan  to  give.  It  was  fully  equal  to 
four  hundred  dollars  with  us,  as  far  as  the 
actual  purchasing  power  is  concerned ; and 
when  it  is  remembered  that  the  people  in  vil- 
lages away  from  the  coast  and  the  large  cities 
have  very  little  money,  it  will  be  seen  that 
thirty  dollars  was  not  a small  sum  for  the 
Christians  of  Thau  Pau  to  give. 

When  the  money  had  been  raised  and  the 
place  for  the  site  obtained,  the  people  opposed 
to  building  a chapel  showed  their  opposition 
by  threats ; but  when  warned  that  they 
might  offend  the  mandarins  if  they  under- 
took to  prevent  the  erection  of  the  chapel, 
they  sullenly  allowed  the  work  to  begin. 

19 


290 


LENG  TSO. 


No  great  amount  of  material  was  need- 
ed ; no  bricks  were  brought  nor  stone  car- 
ried from  a distance  ; no  great  pile  of  lumber 
lay  near  the  site  of  the  chapel.  No  one,  to 
have  seen  the  preparations,  would  have  sus- 
pected that  a chapel  was  to  be  built  there. 
After  a little  digging  for  the  walls  the 
masons  set  on  edge  two  boards  united  by 
two  cross-pieces  about  a foot  in  length,  and 
into  this  box  the  men  began  to  shovel  the 
earth  they  had  dug.  A small  portion  of 
lime  was  put  into  the  box  with  the  earth,  and 
then,  with  blunt  sticks,  the  men  pounded  and 
stamped  the  earth  and  lime  until  the  whole 
became  almost  as  hard  as  stone.  More  ground 
and  more  lime  were  put  into  the  box  until 
it  was  full  and  all  had  been  pounded  solid; 
then  the  box  was  moved  along  to  add  to  this 
first  and  lower  part  of  the  wall.  When  one 
side  had  been  begun  in  this  way,  the  next 
end  or  side  was  begun  in  the  same  manner; 
and  thus  the  wall  all  around  was  started. 
The  first  course  completed,  the  box  was 
raised,  and  on  top  of  the  lower  course  the 
masons  continued  to  build,  adding  thus 
until  the  whole  was  high  enough. 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 


291 


Before  the  building  was  completed  a child 
in  the  village  became  very  ill ; at  once  the  en- 
emies of  the  gospel  said  that  this  was  caused 
by  the  chapel,  and  that  the  work  must  be 
stopped.  This  was  sad  news  to  the  people 
of  God.  In  vain  did  they  urge  that  the 
chapel  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  child’s 
illness  ; the  superstitious  people  would  not 
be  convinced,  and  insisted  that  the  building 
should  stop  at  once  or  all  in  the  village 
would  be  made  ill,  and  perhaps  killed. 

A still  greater  trouble  was  in  store  for  the 
faithful  ones.  Liong  began  to  show  his 
hostility  more  openly.  He  neglected  the 
chapel  service  on  the  Sabbath,  and  it  was 
said  that  he  had  even  been  seen  to  work  in 
the  field  on  the  Lord’s  day.  Gan,  who  was 
under  Liong’s  influence,  actually  did  work 
on  the  Sabbath.  Liong  was  constantly  tell- 
ing the  others  that  it  was  useless  to  go  to  the 
chapel,  where  they  would  hear  little  more  than 
they  knew  themselves.  It  was  a severe 
blow  to  the  others  to  have  both  the  men 
who  brought  the  gospel  to  the  village  fall 
away,  and  the  faith  of  some  was  shaken. 

It  was  a sad  meeting  that  was  held  one 


292 


LENG  TSO. 


day  in  the  old  chapel,  to  which  were  invited 
all  the  Christians  of  Thau  Pau  and  neigh- 
boring places.  Two  of  the  missionaries  were 
there.  They  had  learned  much  of  the 
sad  story  of  Liong’s  wandering  and  Gan’s 
sin.  Earnestly  and  tenderly  they  warned 
the  people  of  the  danger  of  accepting  doc- 
trines that  were  contrary  to  the  Bible.  As 
a father  would  plead  with  his  children,  so 
they  pleaded  with  these  uneducated  Chris- 
tians, and  taught  them  more  clearly  the  way 
of  life  and  duty. 

The  visit  and  the  counsels  of  the  mission- 
aries had  a great  effect  on  the  Christians, 
who  were  made  stronger  in  their  faith  and 
more  willing  to  endure  trial  for  the  Lord’s 
sake. 

Yet  another  trial  came  to  the  Christians 
of  Thau  Pau.  One  morning  early,  as  a girl 
about  fourteen  years  old  was  working  near 
her  home,  she  gave  a fearful  shriek  that 
startled  the  whole  village.  She  uttered  a 
single  word,  but  it  was  one  that  made  the 
blood  of  all  who  heard  it  almost  stop : 

“Haw!”  * 


Tiger. 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 


293 


Every  one  knew  the  meaning  of  that  aw- 
ful word ; and  when  uttered  with  such  a fear- 
ful shriek,  all  who  heard  the  sound  knew 
that  the  dreadful  beast  was  near.  Those 
who  were  in  their  homes  hastily  shut  the 
doors  and  locked  themselves  in,  while  others 
outside  ran  to  the  nearest  place  of  safety. 

For  a few  moments  only  were  the  people 
hidden.  From  the  home  of  the  young  girl 
whose  scream  had  been  heard  there  came  the 
agonizing  cries  of  her  mother.  The  first  im- 
pulse of  the  family  within,  when  hearing  the 
cry  of  “Haw  /”  had  been  to  shut  and  bolt 
the  door,  but  the  mother  had  caught  in  the 
shriek  the  sound  of  her  daughter’s  voice. 
A mother’s  love  overcame  all  fear,  and  the 
door  was  carefully  opened  as  the  mother 
looked  out  to  see  where  the  daughter  was. 
The  girl  had  disappeared,  nor  was  the  sound 
of  her  voice  heard.  The  awful  stillness  was 
too  sure  a harbinger  for  the  mother  to  mis- 
take. Looking  out  from  her  home,  the  par- 
ent saw  a huge  tiger  disappearing  in  the  edge 
of  the  woods,  carrying  in  its  mouth  the  limp 
body  of  the  young  girl ; it  was  then  that  the 
scream  of  the  mother  made  known  to  the  af- 


294 


LENG  'ISO. 


frighted  people  that  the  tiger  had  done  its 
work.  Some  men,  impelled  by  a desperate 
courage,  burst  open  their  doors  and  hurried 
out  to  see  what  they  could  do  to  save  the 
life  of  whoever  might  be  attacked  by  the 
beast.  It  was  but  a sentence  from  the  moth- 
er’s lips  that  told  the  story,  but  the  men  knew 
all. 

Had  the  girl  been  a heathen,  there  might 
have  been  more  general  sympathy  for  the 
parents  and  more  decided  efforts  made  to 
pursue  the  beast.  In  vain,  for  a time,  did  the 
mother  appeal  to  the  men  to  save  her  child  ; 
the  father  himself  was  almost  dumb  with 
fright.  At  length,  when  many  precious 
moments  had  passed,  some  started  to  fright- 
en the  tiger  and  make  him  drop  the  body. 
The  beast  had  so  much  the  start,  and  fear 
had  so  much  effect  on  the  pursuers,  that  they 
failed  even  to  find  the  tiger.  It  was  a sad 
return  for  the  pursuing  party,  but  far  more 
sad  to  the  bereaved  mother  when  she  saw 
them  slowly  enter  the  village  without  her 
daughter. 

The  visit  of  the  tiger  and  the  capture  of  the 
child  of  one  of  the  Christian  families  were 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 


295 


regarded  by  the  heathen  as  certain  proofs 
that  the  gods  were  angry  at  the  building  of 
the  Christian  chapel.  They  did  not  hesitate 
to  tell  the  bereaved  parents  and  the  other 
followers  of  the  Saviour  that  this  was  a just 
punishment  for  turning  away  from  the  re- 
ligion of  their  fathers.  They  declared  that 
this  was  but  the  beginning  of  calamities. 
The  gods  had  waited  long  to  give  people 
time  to  return  to  the  faith  of  their  ancestors, 
but,  since  all  opportunities  had  been  rejected, 
the  punishments  would  now  come. 

Perhaps  the  best  human  visitor  who  could 
have  come  to  the  village  was  the  Bible- 
woman.  She  had  heard  of  the  calamity 
and  knew  too  well  the  feelings  of  a bereaved 
mother;  so  to  her  it  seemed  a duty  to  go  at 
once  to  Thau  Pan  to  comfort  the  mourners 
and  do  what  she  could  to  prevent  the  rising 
of  superstitious  fears  on  the  part  of  Chris- 
tians. Leng  Tso  had  heard  of  the  trouble 
about  the  chapel  and  the  growing  feeling  on 
the  part  of  Liong  against  the  preacher,  and 
then  against  the  whole  band  of  Christians. 
She  was  not  vain  enough  to  suppose  that  she 
could  restore  peace  and  harmony,  but  did 


296 


LENG  TSO. 


think  that  she  might  prevent  the  trouble 
growing,  and  that  through  the  wives  she 
might  influence  the  husbands. 

It  was  not  as  cheerful  a welcome  as  the 
Bible-woman  was  accustomed  to  receive  that 
greeted  her  when  she  reached  her  old  home. 
A feeling  of  sadness  seemed  to  be  on  every- 
thing relating  to  the  Christians  of  the  vil- 
lage. The  unfinished  chapel  was  the  first 
thing  to  greet  the  eye ; and  when  she  met 
her  old  friends  of  the  church,  they  gave  her 
a half-hearted  welcome,  as  if  they  were  un- 
certain whether  or  not  she  were  a friend. 
The  idolaters  were  polite,  but  nothing  more. 
They  felt  that  they  could  afford  to  leave 
matters  to  the  gods  who  had  begun  to  work, 
and  were  willing  to  escape  trouble  them- 
selves. • 

Visiting  the  bereaved  family,  Leng  Tso 
tried  to  comfort  and  cheer  them  with  the 
assurance  that  the  heathen  gods  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  carrying  away  of  the  young 
girl. 

“ If  it  were  the  gods,”  said  she,  “ who 
was  it  that  carried  away  my  mistress,  Hou 
So,  long  before  the  doctrine  came  to  Thau 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 


297 


Pau  ? Who  was  it  that  carried  away  from 
several  of  the  villages  during  the  past  few 
months  not  only  girls  and  women,  but  strong 
men  ? Tigers  did  it.  If  the  gods  did  it, 
would  they  take  away  half  a score  of  their 
own  faithful  ones  first,  and  then  last  of  all 
come  here  and  take  away  one  of  the  Lord’s 
people?  Why,  it  would  be  proof  that  the 
Lord’s  people  are  far  more  safe  than  are 
those  who  worship  the  gods.  As  far  as  I 
have  heard,  your  child  is  the  only  one  in  all 
this  part  of  the  Middle  Kingdom  who  has 
been  carried  from  a Christian  family  by  a 
tiger.” 

The  words  of  the  Bible-woman  were  not 
without  effect ; and  as  she  spoke  of  the 
better  life  and  gave  them  hope  of  seeing 
their  loved  one  again  where  no  evil  comes, 
the  bereaved  friends  listened  and  were  com- 
forted. To  them  it  was  so  unlike  the  teach- 
ing of  the  superstitious  heathen  to  hear  of 
again  meeting  their  lost  one,  even  though  a 
tiger  had  made  her  its  victim,  that  they 
could  but  accept  the  comforting  words  of 
the  woman  as  she  spoke  and  read  to  them 
from  the  Bible. 


298 


LENG  TSO. 


After  the  first  fright  at  the  tiger’s  work 
had  passed  away,  the  Christians  became  more 
calm  and  hopeful.  They  still  continued  to 
worship  in  the  house  of  Liong,  and  the  hea- 
then, seeing  that  the  new  chapel  was  left  to 
go  to  ruin  and  that  the  people  were  discour- 
aged, gave  them  but  little  trouble. 

But  there  was  a cause  for  sorrow  that  did 
not  appear  openly.  Liong,  as  has  been  said, 
was  wandering  away  and  secretly  teaching 
the  people  to  doubt  the  doctrines  taught  by 
the  preacher.  He  was  also  promoting  trou- 
ble among  the  people  and  trying  to  turn  all 
against  the  chapel  service  and  the  preacher. 

As  we  shall  not  have  much  more  to  say 
about  Liong,  the  rest  of  his  story  may  be 
added  here.  He  was,  after  kindly  admoni- 
tion, suspended,  and  finally,  with  Gan,  ex- 
communicated from  the  church.  But  at  the 
last  accounts  Liong  is  again  attending  the 
Sabbath  services.  No  doubt  a war  is  going 
on  in  the  heart  of  the  self-willed  man  be- 
tween his  own  ambition  and  his  desire  to 
be  a faithful  disciple  of  Christ.  The  author 
believes  that  the  spirit  of  Liong  will  yet 
yield  to  the  power  of  God’s  Spirit,  and  that 


TROUBLE  IN  THAU  PAU. 


299 


the  proud  man  will  come  back  to  the 
Saviour. 

When  the  chapel  had  remained  in  its  un- 
finished state  for  some  time,  the  missionaries 
determined  to  complete  it.  The  ground  on 
which  it  was  built  was  theirs,  and  their  need 
of  it  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  and  preach- 
ing— which  are  allowed  by  law  in  China — 
was  great,  and  they  could  safely  appeal  to 
the  government  for  protection  as  they  went 
on  with  their  work.  When  the  repairing  of 
the  damages  done  by  the  weather  was  begun, 
there  was  a stir  in  Thau  Pau.  Many  were 
the  threats  made  that  the  building  should 
not  be  completed;  but  when  the  people  saw 
that  the  missionaries  not  only  meant  to  go 
on  with  the  work  in  spite  of  all  threats,  but 
had  the  authority  of  the  Chinese  govern- 
ment to  sustain  them,  they  allowed  the  op- 
erations to  proceed,  taking  consolation  in  the 
hope  that  the  gods  would  destroy  the  work. 
Put  the  gods  did  nothing  of  the  kind ; the 
chapel  was  at  last  completed  and  opened 
for  service. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


KHIAU’S  SORROW. 

AI7H  go  back  in  our  story  to  the  time  when 
' * Khiau  was  sent  to  the  village  of  stran- 
gers to  preach  the  gospel  to  them.  He  was 
delighted  with  his  visit  and  would  gladly 
have  returned  to  the  strangers  as  their 
preacher,  for  his  stay  in  Thau  Pau  was  be- 
coming trying  to  him.  The  missionaries, 
who  knew  how  uncomfortable  Liong’s  jeal- 
ousy made  Khiau,  would  gladly  have  sent 
to  Thau  Pau  a man  better  suited  to  the  field, 
but  they  had  none  to  spare.  To  make  the 
work  less  trying  to  Khiau — rather,  to  give 
him  relief  and  to  supply  needy  stations — 
he  was  sent,  as  has  been  seen,  to  preach  for 
a while  at  other  places.  This  pleased  him 
better  than  to  be  put  in  charge  of  a large 
established  station.  Occasionally  he  was 
stationed  at  the  Foo  city  for  several  weeks 
at  a time  as  assistant  to  the  preacher  in 

300 


KHIAU’S  SORROW. 


301 


charge.  The  church  in  that  place  had 
grown  so  large  that  the  work  of  preaching 
to  the  audiences  gathering  daily  became 
more  than  the  regular  preacher  could  well 
attend  to.  Kliiau  regarded  the  Foo  city  as 
his  home,  since  he  was  so  often  sent  to  oth- 
er places  than  Thau  Pau,  and  there  his  wife 
spent  the  most  of  her  time.  One  day  Kliiau 
received  a message  from  the  missionaries  in- 
structing him  to  visit  Thau  Pau  and  then  go 
to  a more  distant  station  for  a few  weeks. 
After  spending  two  weeks  in  his  native  vil- 
lage, as  directed,  he  went  on  to  the  farther 
station.  One  morning,  after  her  husband 
had  been  away  about  three  weeks  and  a 
half,  Khiau  So  said  to  her  friend  Leng  Tso, 
“ I am  feeling  very  ill  to-day.  I wish  the 
teacher  were  here,  but  he  is  so  far  away  that 
it  would  be  folly  to  send  for  him.  Yet  I fear 
that  this  illness  will  not  soon  pass  away.” 

“ I would  not  send  for  him  until  I was 
quite  sure  that  the  illness  is  likely  to  last 
some  time,”  suggested  Leng  Tso.  “ It  would 
take  two  or  three  days  for  him  to  get  the 
message,  and  almost  as  long  for  him  to  reach 
here,  and  by  that  time  you  might  be  well.” 


302 


LENG  TSO. 


“ It  is  true,”  replied  the  preacher’s  wife, 
“ and  for  that  reason  I will  not  have  any  one 
send  word  to  him.” 

“ I hope  you  will  not  be  very  ill,”  spoke 
Leng  Tso,  in  a hopeful  tone  ; “ but  remem- 
ber that  one  of  your  best  friends  is  with 
you.  I will  take  care  of  the  household 
affairs  and  do  the  cooking.  But  you  must 
have  a doctor ; for  whom  shall  I send  ?” 

“ I do  not  know,”  replied  the  preacher’s 
wife.  “ I wish  one  of  the  foreign  doctors 
of  Ha  Bun  could  come,  hut  he  would  not 
unless  paid  for  it  with  so  large  a sum  that  it 
would  take  half  of  my  husband’s  salary  to 
pay  for  one  visit.  If  the  doctor  who  is  a 
disciple  himself*  were  in  Ha  Bun,  he  would 
come,  I am  sure.  How  the  doctrine  softens 
men’s  hearts  toward  the  poor !” 

“ I am  sorry  that  no  foreign  teacher- 
doctor  is  in  Ha  Bun  now;  we  must  call  in 
one  of  the  Middle  Kingdom.  Whom  will 
you  have  ?” 

“ Do  you  know  Un  Toan?  He  was  once 
a student  in  the  hospital  at  Ha  Bun,  and 
has  now  an  apothecary-shop  here.” 

* The  missionary  physician. 


KHIAU’S  SORROW. 


303 


“Yes,  I know  him,”  replied  Leng  Tso  ; 
“ 1 know  where  his  shop  is,  and  will  call 
him.  Now,  you  lie  down  and  keep  very 
quiet  while  I attend  to  the  work,  and  then 
I will  go  to  get  Un  Toan.  His  shop  will 
hardly  be  open  so  early  as  this.” 

Khiau  So  was  very  ill — far  worse  than 
her  friend  supposed — and  was  glad  to  lie 
down  and  leave  all  matters  in  charge  of 
Leng  Tso.  Quietly  but  quickly  the  work 
was  done,  and  the  Bible-woman  hurried  to 
find  Un  Toan.  His  shop  was  still  closed, 
and  a person  in  the  shop  adjoining  told  her 
that  the  “ foreign  Chinese  doctor  ” would  not 
be  in  yet  for  half  an  hour,  but  if  she  wished 
to  have  medicine  he  would  speak  to  the 
doctor  and  have  it  sent  around  in  an  hour. 

“ I want  him  to  come  at  once  to  see  a 
woman  who  is  very  ill,”  said  Leng  Tso. 

“ I will  tell  him,”  replied  the  man,  kindly. 
Giving  the  man  the  address,  Leng  Tso  re- 
turned to  the  home  of  her  friend.  Enter- 
ing the  room  of  the  sick  woman  very  quietly, 
she  looked  at  her  and  supposed  Khiau  So  to 
be  asleep,  but  she  heard  the  sick  woman  ask 
in  a low  voice, 


304 


LENG  TSO. 


“Is  he  here ?” 

Going  to  the  bed,  Leng  Tso  said  that  he 
was  not  in  his  office,  but  would,  no  doubt, 
soon  be  there. 

“ I wish  he  were  here  now ; my  head 
aches  fearfully.  I am  afraid  that  I have  a 
great  fever  that  will  not  end  soon.  For 
some  weeks  I have  not  felt  well,  but  said 
nothing,  hoping  I should  soon  feel  better. 
Yet,”  added  she,  hopefully,  “ the  Lord 
knows  best,  and  it  may  be  that  I needed  to 
become  ill  for  some  wise  purpose.  Yet  I 
would  so  much  like  to  see  the  preacher  here. 
But  it  would  be  wrong  to  send  for  him  yet. 
If  I grow  worse,  do  not  send  for  him  unless 
you  think” — and  here  her  voice  faltered  and 
a tear  came — unless  you  think  I shall  go 
home.” 

“ Oh,  do  not  talk  of  that,”  replied  the 
Bible-woman,  with  more  feeling  than  she 
cared  to  show.  “ You  have  been  ill  only 
a few  hours ; many  are  ill  for  weeks,  and 
recover.  Do  not  think  of  the  shadows  un- 
til the  sun  is  going  down.” 

“ There  is  a cloud  hiding  the  sun  now, 
and  I cannot  see  the  light.” 


KHIAU'S  SORROW. 


305 


“Jesus  says  that  lie  will  light  us,”  replied 
Leng  Tso ; “ so  fear  not.  He  will  never 
leave  you  nor  forsake  you.” 

“ It  was  not  that,”  spoke  the  sick  woman, 
faintly ; “ I have  tried  Jesus  too  long  and 
proved  him  too  many  times  to  doubt  his  love 
now.  No,  it  is  only  an  earthly  shadow  that 
I see.  It  seems  to  me  that  I cannot  tell 
whether  I must  go  forward  to  the  better 
life  or  stay  a while  longer  in  this  life.” 

“ Ho  not  think  of  such  things  now  ; leave 
all  to  the  Lord.  There  is  much  work  for 
you  and  me  to  do  yet.  I will  go  now  and 
make  you  a pot  of  tea,  and  then  you  may 
sleep.” 

“Let  it  be  cool,  for  I am  so  hot!”  mur- 
mured Khiau  So  as  her  friend  left  the 
room. 

The  tea  was  brought,  and,  though  warm, 
was  eagerly  swallowed,  as  the  sick  woman 
said, 

“I  am  so  thirsty;  and  if  I dared,  I would 
drink  cold  water.  But  that  will  not  do  if  I 
have  a fever — at  least,  that  is  what  Middle- 
Kingdom  doctors  say.” 

As  the  doctor  did  not  come,  Leng  Tso 
20 


306 


LENG  TSO. 


went  to  the  shop  again ; he  was  in  his  office 
quietly  smoking.  To  her  request  that  he 
should  come  at  once  he  replied  : 

“ It  is  too  early  to  make  calls  yet,  but  I 
will  soon  be  there.” 

“ It  is  not  too  early  to  be  ill  and  to  die,” 
spoke  the  Bible- woman,  with  no  little  indig- 
nation. “ When  people  are  ill,  they  need  a 
doctor  at  once,  no  matter  how  early  or  how 
late  it  is.” 

“ That  may  be  the  way  of  Middle-King- 
dom doctors,”  replied  Un  Toan,  “ but  I am 
a foreign  doctor.  They  never  go  out  early.” 
“ That  may  be  the  case  with  those  who  care 
for  money  only,”  answered  she,  “ but  I know 
it  is  not  so  with  those  who  come  to  the  Middle 
Kingdom  to  teach  the  doctrine  as  well  as  to 
heal  disease.  It  is  not  so  with  Dr.  Bun,  and 
it  was  not  so  with  Dr.  Ing.” 

“That  may  be  so,”  spoke  Un  Toan,  “but 
I am  not  doctoring  as  they  did ; I am  doing 
it  to  make  my  living.” 

“ Shall  I tell  you  why  they  do  not  give 
medicine  late  in  the  day?”  asked  Leng  Tso, 
with  no  little  contempt  in  her  manner.  “ My 
brother  told  me : they  drink  so  much  sam- 


KHIAU’ S SORROW. 


307 


shu*  that  in  the  afternoon  they  are  not 
sober  enough  to  trust  themselves  with  medi- 
cines.” 

“ That  may  be,”  replied  the  doctor,  “ and  it 
shows  that  they  are  very  careful  what  they  do.” 
“ I did  not  come  here  to  talk,”  said  Leng 
Tso,  sharply.  “ Will  you  come  to  see  Khiau 
So  at  once?  She  is  very  sick,  and  should 
have  medicine  without  delay.” 

“ I will  come  in  a few  minutes,”  was  his 
reply  as  he  began  his  preparations  to  go. 

The  doctor  soon  came  to  the  sick  woman. 
Carefully  he  examined  his  patient,  asking 
questions,  meanwhile,  of  her  and  her  attend- 
ant. He  knew  enough  of  disease  to  see  that 
Khiau  So  was  a very  sick  woman,  but,  as  he 
did  not  think  her  dangerously  ill,  he  left  for 
her  some  medicines,  and  in  the  afternoon 
he  called  again,  to  find  the  woman  in  a 
very  high  fever  and  delirious.  Acting  on 
the  practical  teaching  he  had  received  from 
the  foreign  physicians  at  Ha  Bun,  he  refused 
to  give  any  other  medicines  until  the  next 
morning.  Then  Khiau  So  was  more  ra- 
tional, but  the  fever  remained.  She  was 

* Chinese  for  “liquor.” 


308 


LENG  TSO. 


frequently  calling  for  cold  water,  and  begged 
lier  friend  to  give  her  one  drink — only  one. 

“ Shall  I give  it?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

For  a while  Un  Toan  stood  and  thought. 
He  had  forgotten  what  the  foreign  physi- 
cians would  do  under  such  circumstances,  but 
did  remember  that  the  Chinese  refuse  water 
— especially  cold  water — to  fever  patients ; so 
he  said  that  she  must  not  have  anything  cold, 
as  it  might  increase  the  fever  by  compelling 
it  to  fight  all  the  harder  to  gain  the  mastery. 
Leng  Tso  obeyed,  and  the  poor  fever  patient 
was  compelled  to  thirst  or  to  drink  warm 
drinks.  Her  piteous  appeals  for  water  the 
Bible-woman  regarded  as  the  ravings  of  one 
delirious,  and  did  not  heed  them.  She  asked 
the  doctor  again  what  he  thought  about  his 
patient. 

“ Oh,  she  will  soon  be  up,”  he  replied  as 
he  passed  out  of  the  door. 

But  there  came  no  change  for  the  better ; 
the  fever  continued  to  rage,  as  though  to  burn 
the  very  life  out  of  the  patient.  Kliiau  So 
seldom  spoke  except  during  the  times  of 
delirium  ; then  her  words  were  wild,  and  her 
mind  seemed  at  times  with  her  husband,  and 


KHIAU'S  SORROW. 


309 


again  back  in  her  old  home  of  luxury  and 
wealth.  Once,  in  a moment  of  half  con- 
sciousness, she  said, 

“ Oh,  the  preacher  has  come,  and  he  was 
so  far  away  ! I thought  you  would  not  send 
for  him,  I thought  that  you  wished  to  keep 
him  for  yourself;  but  you  have  let  him  come. 
You  are  good  to  forget  your  own  heart  and 
remember  mine.  It  is  hungry  for  him,  and 
here  he  comes.” 

Leng  Tso  was  startled  and  looked  toward 
the  door,  thinking  that  Khiau  might  really 
be  coming ; but  no  sound  of  footstep  was 
heard,  and  she  knew  that  it  was  but  the  imagi- 
nation of  the  delirious  woman. 

“ Shall  I send  for  Khiau  ?”  asked  Leug  Tso. 

“ For  whom  ?”  asked  the  sick  woman,  in  a 
dull,  indifferent  voice. 

“ For  the  preacher,”  was  the  answer. 

“ I do  not  know,”  replied  Khiau  So,  in  a 
half  stupor. 

Leng  Tso  did  not  try  to  get  an  answer  ; 
she  had  heard  enough  already  from  the  pa- 
tient, when  partly  conscious,  to  know  that 
Khiau  So  was  anxious  to  see  her  husband, 
and,  though  yet  believing  that  the  sick  woman 


310 


LENG  TSO. 


would  recover,  Leng  Tso  determined  to  send 
at  once  for  Khiau.  Going  to  an  acquaint- 
ance, she  had  a messenger  called,  to  whom 
was  told  the  errand  on  which  she  wished 
him  to  go : 

“ Tell  Ivhiau  to  hasten  back,  and  not  to 
stay  for  anything,  for  she  may  not  recover.” 
This  was  added  more  to  hurry  the  preacher 
than  because  she  really  believed  that  Khiau 
So  was  likely  to  die. 

“ How  much  will  you  pay  me  for  going?” 
asked  the  man. 

“ Whatever  is  right,”  replied  she ; “ only 
hurry  and  bring  him  back.” 

“ But  I want  some  of  the  money  before  I 
start,”  persisted  the  man.  “ I will  need  it  to 
buy  food  on  the  way.  How  do  I know  that 
you  will  be  here  when  I return  ? I must  be 
sure  that  my  pay  will  be  given.” 

“ How  can  I be  sure  that  you  will  go,” 
asked  she,  “ until  I find  you  have  brought 
him  hack  ?” 

The  bargain  was  made,  however,  and  sat- 
isfactorily to  both,  the  principal  object  of  the 
woman  being  to  hasten  the  man  on  his  way. 
Glad  was  she  to  see  him  start  on  a trot  to- 


KHIAU’S  SORROW. 


311 


ward  the  city  gate,  eager  to  show  that  he 
meant  to  do  as  she  demanded. 

When  the  doctor  came,  Leng  Tso  told 
him  what  she  had  done,  and  asked  if  he 
thought  Khiau  So  would  be  much  better  by 
the  time  her  husband  came. 

“ When  will  he  be  here  ?”  was  asked. 

“ In  about  four  days — that  is,  if  the  man 
makes  great  haste ; for  the  teacher  will  come 
at  once,  I am  sure.” 

“ She  may  be  better,”  said  the  doctor ; and 
then,  hesitating,  he  added,  “And  she  may  be 
worse.  The  medicine  is  not  doing  what  I 
expected.  The  fever  is  gaining  rather  than 
losing.  I have  never  seen  one  who  had  such 
a fever,  and  I hope  I may  never  see  another. 
Medicine  takes  no  hold,  but  the  disease 
throws  it  off  as  if  it  were  water  on  oil.  I 
have  tried  every  foreign  medicine  I know  of 
for  fever,  and  now  I must  try  medicines  of 
the  Middle  Kingdom.  If  those  fail,  there 
is  no  remedy ; she  must  die.” 

Before  leaving  the  house  the  man  said  to 
Leng  Tso, 

“ You  had  better  pray  to  the  foreign  God 
to  save  her  life.” 


312 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Do  you  think  that  she  will  die  ?”  asked 
Leng  Tso,  anxiously. 

“ It  is  not  for  me  to  say,”  replied  he, 
“ but  she  needs  all  the  help  she  can  get.” 
When  the  messenger  had  been  absent 
about  two  days,  the  sick  woman  opened  her 
eyes  and  asked, 

“Will  you  send  for  him?  I want  to  see 
the  preacher  before  I go.” 

Thinking,  perhaps,  that  her  friend  was 
delirious,  the  Bible-woman  asked, 

“ Where  are  you  going  ?” 

“ I am  going  home,”  was  the  answer. 
“ The  Lord  is  coming  for  me  soon.  He 
sent  the  messenger  to  tell  me  to  be  ready, 
and  I said  that  I would  be  ready  as  soon  as 
the  teacher  came.  Will  you  send  for  him 
soon  ? or  the  Lord  may  come  first.” 

“You  may  get  better  now ; the  fever  is  pass- 
ing away.  Soon  you  will  be  well  again.” 
“Yes,  very  soon,”  was  her  reply,  “and 
never  to  be  sick  any  more.  And  I shall 
drink  from  the  river  of  life,  and  none  will 
refuse  me  its  waters,  for  He  has  said  that 
we  may  drink  freely.  But  will  you  send 
for  the  teacher  ?” 


Kill  A U ’.S'  SORROW. 


313 


“ I have  sent  for  him,”  replied  Leng  Tso, 
“ two  days  ago,  and  urged  the  man  to  hurry 
and  tell  him  to  come  as  quickly  as  he 
could.” 

“ I knew  it ! I knew  it !”  said  the  woman, 
with  a stronger  voice.  “ I knew  that  you 
were  faithful  to  your  friend.  Yes,  you  have 
been  more  than  a sister  to  me ; no  sister 
would  have  done  what  you  have  done.  It 
was  wrong  for  me  to  doubt  you  for  a 
moment.  The  Lord  will  know  how  faithful, 
you  have  been,  and  how  you  have  loved  and 
cared  for  me;  he  will  reward  you  as  I can- 
not. You  will  forgive  me  for  thinking  evil 
of  you,  will  you  not  ?” 

“ You  have  always  been  a sister  to  me,” 
replied  Leng  Tso,  “ and  I have  nothing  to 
forgive.  Now  you  must  be  quiet  and  rest, 
that  you  may  be  better  when  the  teacher 
comes.” 

“ I shall  never  be  better  here,”  said  the 
sick  woman,  with  a strange  calmness  ; “ this 
sickness  is  unto  death.  It  is  all  plain  to  me 
now,  and  it  is  well.  Only  I wish  so  much 
to  see  him  before  I go.  Will  he  come  to- 
day, do  you  think  ?” 


314 


LENG  TSO. 


“ I fear  not ; it  will  take  the  messenger 
nearly  two  days  to  reach  him,  and  then  not 
far  from  two  days  for  him  to  reach  home. 
I think  he  will  be  here  to-morrow.” 

“ Mast  I wait  until  to-morrow  ?”  sighed 
Khiau  So.  “ The  Lord  may  come  before 
that.” 

For  a few  minutes  both  were  still,  and 
then,  looking  at  her  friend  with  a pleasant 
smile,  the  sick  woman  said, 

“ It  will  be  well.  If  I go  before  he  comes, 
I will  see  the  Lord  all  the  sooner,  and  I may 
see  the  teacher  by  and  by.  And  there  it 
will  be  for  ever  ; he  need  not  go  away  to 
preach  to  far-off  places  then,  for  the  holy 
book  says,  ‘ They  shall  go  no  more  out.’ 
Always  there,  and  at  rest!  There  you  will 
come,  and  we  shall  all  three  be  there  and 
with  the  Lord.  Oh,  to  live  in  that  land  for 
ever  and  to  be  able  to  drink  from  the  river 
of  life,  with  none  to  forbid ! That  will  be 
heaven.” 

As  the  two  were  talking  a footstep  was 
heard  approaching  the  house;  it  stopped  at 
the  door.  In  a moment  the  face  of  the  sick 
woman  lit  up  with  joy  as  she  said, 


KHIAU’S  SORROW. 


315 


“ He  comes ! lie  comes ! The  teacher 
comes  ! the  teacher  comes  !” 

With  a quick  tread  a man’s  step  entered 
the  room,  and  as  the  Bible-woman  looked  to 
see  who  it  was  she  saw  the  form  of  Kliiau. 
He  seemed  exhausted  by  fatigue,  yet  so 
anxious  that  he  did  not  realize  his  condition. 

“ I knew  you  would  come  ; I was  looking 
for  you,”  said  the  wife  as  she  reached  out 
her  thin  hands  to  him.  “ But  I feared  that 
you  would  not  come  before  the  Lord  called 
me.  Now  it  is  all  well.” 

Tender  was  the  greeting  between  the  man 
and  his  wife,  and  Leng  Tso,  after  a word  or 
two  of  welcome,  left  the  room.  When  the 
Bible-woman  entered  the  room  again,  Khiau 
was  sitting  with  his  head  in  his  hands,  and 
his  wife  lay  quiet  and  exhausted,  each  seem- 
ingly lost  in  thought. 

“ How  is  it  that  you  came  home  so  quick- 
ly ?”  asked  Leng  Tso.  “ Had  you  started 
before  the  man  reached  you?” 

“ No,”  said  he,  “ but  I came  soon  after  he 
arrived.  You  had  given  him  such  urgent 
orders  that  he  traveled  day  and  night,  and 
came  where  I was  yesterday  afternoon.” 


316 


LENG  TSO. 


“ How  was  it  possible  for  you  to  come  so 
soon?”  asked  she. 

“ I did  as  the  messenger  had  done — hired 
men  to  travel  with  me  at  night  to  carry 
torches  to  keep  off  tigers.  He  said  that 
you  had  promised  him  much  larger  pay  if 
he  brought  me  back  within  three  days,  and 
he  urged  me  to  hasten  to  get  here  within 
two  days,  saying  that  you  would  then  pay 
him  even  a larger  amount  of  money.  I 
cannot  thank  you  as  I would  like  to  do  for 
all  you  have  done,  and  for  this  last  proof  of 
your  kindness;  but  it  shall  never  be  for- 
gotten. I paid  him  all  he  asked,  and  will 
pay  you  back  what  you  advanced.  But  now 
I do  not  feel  like  talking  of  money.  She 
says  that  she  is  going  home,  and  I fear  it  is 
so.  If  it  be  the  Lord’s  will,  what  shall  I 
say  to  prevent  ? God  knows  best.  He 
gave  her  to  me,  and  spared  her  so  long  to 
be  a faithful  wife ; why  should  I complain  ? 
Yet,  the  longer  we  are  together,  the  more 
sad  is  the  parting.” 

“ Only  for  a little  while,”  whispered  the 
preacher’s  wife  as  she  opened  her  eyes  and 
smiled  “ Only  a little  while,  and  He  will 


KHIAU’ S SORROW. 


317 


come  for  each  of  you,  and  we  shall  be  to- 
gether and  for  ever  with  the  Lord.” 

Khiau  So  was  rapidly  growing  weaker, 
and  it  was  plain  that  death  was  not  far  away. 
Now  and  again  in  a low  voice  she  spoke  a 
word  of  cheer  to  her  sorrowing  husband  and 
the  mourning;  friend  sitting;  bv  her  side. 
After  a while  the  dying  woman  asked, 

“ Is  it  growing  dark  so  soon  ? Have  I 
slept,  or  is  night  coming  earlier  than  before 
I was  ill?  It  is  growing  dark — very  dark. 
I cannot  see  you.  Teacher,  come  near.  I 
cannot  hear  your  voice.  Take  my  hand. 
Are  you  there?” 

These  words  were  spoken  in  a low  tone, 
and  then  for  a minute  or  two  she  was  silent 
as  her  husband  bent  over  her,  taking  her 
hand  and  trying  to  speak  ; but  he  and  Leng 
Tso  were  weeping  and  unable  to  utter  a word. 

“ Come  here,”  said  the  dying  wOman,  in  a 
louder  voice,  to  Leng  Tso. 

The  woman  walked  to  the  opposite  side 
from  that  where  the  husband  stood.  Then, 
Khiau  So,  reaching  out  her  own  hand, 
caught  hold  of  that  of  the  Bible-woman, 
and,  drawing  it  down  upon  her  own  breast, 


318 


LENG  TSO. 


she  held  it  there  as  she  drew  the  hand  of  her 
husband  and  laid  them  side  by  side  on  her 
own  bosom. 

“ I want  to  feel  that  you  are  both  with  me,” 
said  she,  “ for  I cannot  see  you,  it  is  so  dark.” 
Then,  as  if  a sudden  change  had  come,  she 
spoke  in  a louder  voice : “ No  ! the  dark- 
ness has  gone;  it  is  light  now — all  light! 
Brighter!  Brighter!  How  beautiful ! Oh, 
it  is  his  face  ! He  is  coming  ! I see  him  ! 
Jesus!  Jesus!  Jesus!  Jesus  !” 

The  voice  grew  softer  and  weaker  as  the 
speaker  repeated  the  name  of  the  One  dear- 
er to  her  than  all  besides,  until  the  last  time, 
when  it  seemed  spoken  in  a whisper,  as  of 
a child  falling  asleep.  Her  voice  was  still ; 
her  hands  moved  not.  Holding  the  two  side 
by  side  on  her  own  bosom,  and  clasping  the 
hands  of  the  two  who  kneeled  beside  her,  the 
woman  seemed  to  feel  the  last  pressure  of  the 
hands  of  the  earthly  ones  she  loved  most, 
while  her  eyes  were  beholding  Him  whom 
she  loved  best  and  her  lips  were  repeating 
his  name.  When  her  husband  and  friend 
looked  at  the  face  after  they  had  waited  in 
vain  to  hear  her  voice,  they  saw  a sweet 


KHIAU'S  SORROW. 


319 


smile  there,  and  a look  that  told  that  Kliiau 
So  had  thought  of  other  scenes  than  those 
of  earth  before  her  spirit  had  taken  wings 
to  meet  the  Lord. 

“ She  has  gone  home,”  said  the  bereaved 
husband  as  he  saw  that  his  wife  was  dead. 
“The  Lord  has  taken  her.  Yet  a little 
while—” 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 

ITH  few  words  of  parting  Leng  Tso 


and  Khiau  separated  the  day  after  the 
funeral,  he  going  to  his  station,  and  she  pass- 
ing some  distance  down  the  river  to  spend  a 
few  days  with  her  son.  It  would  have  been 
strange  if  neither  of  the  bereaved  ones 
thought  of  the  past  of  long  years  ago,  but 
neither  spoke  a word  of  that  after  the  death 
of  Khiau  So.  Of  her  they  conversed,  and 
her  memory  seemed  the  only  bond  that 
joined  the  two. 

Leng  Tso  was  greeted  with  a warm  wel- 
come by  her  son,  and  as  soon  as  the  words 
of  welcome  were  over  Lin  said, 

“ At  last  we  are  to  have  a pastor  in  our 
church  here.” 

“ ‘ A pastor  ’ ? Who  is  he  ?”  asked  the 
Bible-woman.  “ I knew  that  you  wanted  to 


320 


LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 


321 


get  one,  but  did  not  know  that  the  church 
was  able  to  support  a preacher.” 

“ Lay  Jin  Su  is  the  man  we  have  chosen,” 
was  the  answer.  “ He  is  a student,  but  will 
come  as  soon  as  his  studies  are  completed.” 

“ ‘ Lay  Jin  Su  ’ !”  repeated  Leng  Tso,  in 
surprise.  “ Why,  this  is  his  home,  is  it  not  ? 
Why  not  select  a man — especially  since  it  is 
to  be  a young  man — from  another  place  ?” 

“ E Ju  and  I thought  we  should  choose 
another,”  spoke  Lin,  “ but  the  others  said 
that  they  knew  Jin  Su,*and  had  known  him 
from  a child.  I fear  that  it  will  prove  a mis- 
take, but  we  must  trust  in  the  Lord  and  do 
our  best,  not  looking  for  trouble.  He  may 
prove  the  very  man  we  need.  Even  if  he 
be  not  all  we  wish,  he  surely  will  be  better 
than  no  pastor.” 

“ I hope  so,”  answered  Leng  Tso.  “ I 
know  Jin  Su  ; he  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 
best  scholars  in  the  school.” 

At  evening  worship  E Ju  spoke  to  the 
Bible-woman  of  the  expected  pastor,  and, 
though  his  words  were  cheerful,  there  was 
in  their  tone  a sadness  that  she  knew  would 


21 


* “ Lay  ” is  a surname. 


322 


LENG  TSO. 


soon  be  explained.  When  all  but  his  wife 
and  Lin’s  family,  together  with  Leng  Tso, 
had  left,  E Ju  spoke  more  fully. 

“ Jin  Su  was  not  my  choice,”  said  he,  “ but 
he  was  the  choice  of  nearly  all  the  others, 
and  they  may  be  right.  We  know  him  to 
be  a good  young  man,  but  a little  vain,  and 
this  will  exalt  him  still  more,  I fear.  Then 
it  does  not  seem  well  to  promote  a youth  to 
become  the  spiritual  teacher  and  leader  of 
those  who  have  known  all  his  earlier  fol- 
lies. He  has,  no  doubt,  repented  of  them 
all,  but  we  find  it  hard  to  forget  them.” 

“ Will  he  come?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

‘‘  Oh  yes ; we  knew  that  he  was  willing 
before  we  chose  him.  His  relatives  ar- 
ranged all  that  beforehand,”  responded  E Ju. 
“ I am  sorry  that  family  influences  had  any- 
thing to  do  with  this  choice,  but  it  will  be 
such  a comfort  to  have  the  same  pastor  each 
Sabbath,  and  to  know  that  he  is  ours  and  not 
to  be  sent  to  some  other  place.  Then,  too, 
it  will  be  such  a comfort  to  the  sick  and  be- 
reaved to  have  one  who  has  been  long  with 
them  to  come  in  and  sit  beside  them  and  talk 
with  them.  I often  feel  that  T wish  one  to 


LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 


323 


whom  I can  go  and  tell  the  sorrows  and 
trials  of  my  own  soul.” 

“Have  you  heard  how  Uncle  Iau  is?” 
asked  Lin,  when  they  were  all  home  again 
after  worship.  “ I heard  a day  or  two  ago 
that  he  is  much  worse,  and  that  his  mind  is 
almost  gone  ; he  cannot  do  any  business.” 

“ What ! my  brother  Iau  ?”  inquired  Leng 
Tso,  in  surprise  and  sorrow.  “ I have  not 
heard  from  him  for  some  time.  When  last  I 
saw  him,  he  was  not  as  he  used  to  be,  but  I 
hoped  he  would  be  well  again  after  a few 
weeks  of  rest.” 

“ But  he  would  not  take  the  rest,”  spoke 
Lin.  “ He  would  go  to  his  business.  He 
seems  wild  in  his  wishes  to  build  for  the 
mission  ; he  would  go  to  work  putting  up 
chapels  and  schools  all  over  the  country. 
Teacher  Minturn  must  keep  watching  and 
holding  him  back  constantly.” 

The  Bible-woman  listened  with  great  pain 
to  this  news,  but  the  thoughts  of  all  of  Lin’s 
family  were  speedily  turned  from  a trouble 
that  was  distant  to  one  that  was  near.  Lin’s 
oldest  child,  a bright  little  girl,  became  sud- 
denly ill,  and  grew  worse  all  through  the 


324 


LENG  TSO. 


night ; when  the  morning  came,  the  anxious 
watchers  saw  no  change  for  the  better.  The 
Chinese  doctor  tried  all  the  remedies  he 
knew,  but  could  not  stay  the  disease. 
Through  the  second  night  father,  mother 
and  grandmother  watched  by  the  little  suf- 
ferer. With  morning  the  pain  passed  away, 
and  the  child  looked  at  her  parents  and  then 
at  her  grandmother  and  smiled.  Leng  Tso 
stooped  down  to  kiss  the  little  one,  when  she 
raised  her  arms,  as  if  to  be  taken. 

“ Shall  grandma  take  her  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

“ No,  grandma ; there  is  coming  a beauti- 
ful one  to  take  me,  like  one  of  the  angels  you 
told  me  about.  He  is  coming  now,  and  I am 
going  with  him. — Papa,  the  good  angel  has 
come — the  one  you  said  would  take  little 
girls  to  Jesus  when  they  were  tired.  And 
I am  so  tired  ! — Mamma,  I am  going. — Good- 
bye, papa,  mamma,  grandma  and  baby,  and 
little  brother.  I am  going  to  sleep  in  the 
angel’s  arms.  Good-night !” 

It  seemed  indeed  as  if  an  angel  had  come 
and  taken  away  the  soul  of  the  little  girl.  So 
sudden  had  been  the  departure  that  none  of 
those  who  were  watching  could  realize  that 


LENG  'ISO’S  SORROW. 


325 


the  child  was  dead.  Slowly  the  truth  came 
to  the  minds  of  the  parents,  and  the  mother 
began  to  moan  and  cry  for  her  child,  and 
almost  unconsciously  to  mourn  in  a loud 
voice  as  the  heathen  Chinese  do.  Gently 
the  father  stooped  at  the  side  of  his  wife 
and  in  a low  voice  said, 

“ Shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hands  of  the 
Lord,  and  shall  we  not  receive  evil?  But 
this  is  not  evil ; the  angels  came  and  took 
her.  We  have  not  lost  her;  the  Lord  has 
saved  her  for  us.  We  have  one  of  our  family 
in  heaven.” 

The  words  soothed  the  mother,  and  not  less 
did  they  comfort  the  grandmother.  She 
said  nothing,  but  steadily  were  her  eyes 
fixed  on  the  smiling  face  before  them.  The 
child  was  a great  favorite  with  the  grand- 
mother, and  from  her  had  learned  many  a 
truth  of  the  better  world.  The  two  had  of- 
ten talked  of  the  home  in  which  they  should 
live  for  ever,  where  grandmother  and  grand- 
daughter, parents  and  children,  would  not 
say  “ Good-bye  ” nor  wait  for  absent  ones. 

After  some  time  of  silence  Leng  Tso  said 
with  a sigh, 


326 


LENG  TSO. 


“And  the  angel  did  come  and  take  her. 
She  is  waiting  for  us,  but  it  will  not  be  long. 
Yet  a little  while,  and  only  a little  while. 
One  more  in  heaven  to  draw  us  thither — 
one  less  on  earth  to  keep  us  here.  Heaven 
is  swiftly  becoming  the  home-land,  because  it 
has  so  many  we  love.” 

In  the  same  street,  and  not  far  from  the 
home  of  Lin,  another  family  missed  a little 
daughter.  The  two  families  had  been  quite 
intimate — as  much  so  as  Christian  and 
heathen  families  ever  become  in  China — 
and  the  two  little  girls  had  become  friendly, 
so  as  to  visit  and  play  together.  The  two 
children  died  the  same  day,  but  the  mourn- 
ing in  the  two  homes  was  very  unlike. 
Neither  family  knew  of  the  other’s  loss ; 
and  when  the  news  of  the  death  of  the 
playmate  of  Lin’s  daughter  reached  his 
home,  the  sorrowing  father  went  to  olfer  a 
word  of  sympathy.  Already  were  friends 
preparing  to  bury  the  child.  But  there  was 
no  outward  mourning,  wTith  wTeeping  women 
and  hired  mourners.  No  great  preparations 
for  a funeral  were  going  on,  but  speedily 
and  quietly  a few  friends  were  making  the 


LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 


327 


little  form  ready  to  carry  it  away.  Lin  said 
little : he  knew  what  this  hasty  preparation 
meant ; and  after  some  words  of  sympathy, 
in  which  he  told  of  his  own  loss,  he  left  his 
friend.  Soon  after  he  had  reached  his 
home  the  body  of  his  daughter’s  playmate 
was  carried  out  of  her  home  and  away  from 
the  city.  No  funeral  procession  accom- 
panied the  corpse ; the  body  was  contained 
in  no  coffin ; no  ceremonies  preceded  the 
burial,  nor  followed.  No  grave  had  been 
selected  by  men  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
but  in  a hole  hastily  dug  in  an  out-of-the- 
way  place  the  little  body  was  hurriedly  laid 
and  as  quickly  covered.  The  few  who  had 
charge  of  the  burial,  as  soon  as  it  was  over, 
hurried  away  as  though  they  had  been  guilty 
of  some  crime. 

The  next  day  was  held  the  funeral  of 
Lin’s  child.  Friends  gathered,  and  at  the 
time  appointed  the  preacher  entered  the 
home  and  began  the  funeral  service.  A 
portion  of  Scripture  was  read ; he  offered 
prayer  and  then  made  an  address,  after 
which  a hymn  was  sung  and  again  a prayer 
was  offered,  and  then,  Avith  another  hymn,  the 


328 


LENG  TSO. 


service  at  the  house  was  closed.  Quietly 
the  friends  arranged  the  funeral  procession, 
and  then,  while  two  men  bore  the  coffin 
fastened  to  a long  pole  that  rested  at  its  ends 
on  their  shoulders,  the  relatives  formed  in 
the  procession  behind  the  body,  while  in 
front  walked  the  preacher,  the  officers  of 
the  church  and  another  man,  who  carried  a 
banner  on  which  was  the  name  of  Jesus. 
Musicians  now  appeared,  to  lead  the  pro- 
cession. When  all  were  ready,  these  began 
their  peculiar  funeral  music,  and  the  pro- 
cession started  from  the  city  to  the  place  of 
burial.  People  looked  on  as  the  mourners 
passed  by,  wondering  that  such  a procession 
should  follow  so  small  a coffin.  At  the 
grave  there  were  no  ceremonies  such  as 
the  heathen  practice,  but  the  body  was  quiet- 
ly lowered  to  its  resting-place;  the  relatives 
gathered  closely  about  the  tomb  and  then  be- 
gan singing  a hymn.  The  voices  trembled 
and  many  a note  might  have  been  sung 
more  correctly,  but  the  simple  tune  and  the 
words  so  full  of  trust  and  hope  carried  with 
them  the  hearts  of  the  mourning  singers. 
A few  words  were  spoken  by  the  preacher, 


LENG  ISO’S  SORROW. 


329 


a prayer  was  offered,  another  hymn,  and  the 
funeral  service  was  ended.  The  grave  was 
closed,  and  the  bereaved  ones  returned  to 
their  homes.  They  went  sorrowing,  but  not 
as  those  who  have  no  hope.  The  words  of 
the  speaker,  his  prayer,  the  hymns,  all  told 
that  they  had  laid  away  the  child  only  for  a 
little  while.  That  they  would  see  and  meet 
her  again  they  believed,  for  they  were  Chris- 
tians. It  was  a Christian  burial,  and  the 
sting  of  death  was  not  felt ; for  to  the 
mourners  the  little  one  was  not  dead,  but 
asleep  in  Jesus. 

In  the  other  burial  there  was  nothing  of 
Christ  and  nothing  of  heaven,  nothing  of 
immortality  and  nothing  of  a resurrection. 
The  body  of  the  child  was  buried  as  if  it 
had  been  a dog’s ; the  mother  and  the  father 
did  not  go  to  see  where  their  child  was  laid, 
nor  did  they  follow  its  form  from  the  city. 
And  yet  those  parents  loved  their  child  as 
truly  as  Lin  and  his  wife  loved  their  little 
daughter.  The  difference  between  the  two 
families  in  their  sorrow  was  the  difference 
between  heathenism  and  Christianity.  The 
first  believed — at  least,  were  taught  by  the 


330 


LENO  TSO. 


superstition  of  the  country — that  the  spirit 
of  an  enemy  had  entered  the  body  of  their 
child,  or,  as  some  teach,  that  an  enemy  had 
come  to  their  family  and  been  born  in  the 
form  of  their  daughter.  After  they  had 
learned  to  love  her  and  their  hearts  had 
become  wrapped  up  in  the  child,  then  the 
enemy  had  killed  her  to  be  revenged  on 
them.  To  have  a funeral  and  make  any 
sign  of  grief  would  be  gratification  to  the 
enemy.  To  give  the  body  even  a decent  bur- 
ial would  prove  to  such  enemy  that  they 
cared  for  the  child,  even  though  they  did 
not  mourn.  So,  to  make  the  unseen  and 
unknown  enemy  suppose  that  he  had  failed 
of  his  revenge,  the  parents  treated  the  body 
of  their  child  as  though  it  had  been  that  of 
a brute.  But  this  is  the  superstition  of 
heathenism. 

In  the  quiet  after  the  funeral  Leng  Tso 
felt  the  loss  of  her  grandchild,  and  could 
hardly  endure  this  new  bereavement  so 
soon  after  the  loss  of  Khiau  So.  Fortunate- 
ly, she  was  called  to  forget  her  own  grief  in 
comforting  her  daughter-in-law.  The  mother, 
not  long  a Christian,  could  not  understand 


LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 


331 


why  her  child  should  be  taken,  when  so 
many  other  parents  had  theirs  spared.  The 
patient  words  and  ways  of  the  Bible-woman 
soothed  and  comforted  Lin  So,  and  the  firm 
faith  of  the  father  helped  the  mother  to  look 
hopefully  forward  to  the  time  when  the 
child  should  be  hers  for  ever. 

Not  long  could  Leug  Tso  remain  with  her 
son,  for  a message  came  asking  her  to  go  to 
Ha  Bun  to  see  her  brother  Iau,  who  was  very 
ill;  and  she  hastened  to  him.  When  she  saw 
Iau,  she  hardly  recognized  in  the  poor  wasted 
skeleton  the  brother  she  had  left  in  com- 
parative health  not  many  months  before. 
Iau  did  not  notice  her  ; his  mind  had  utterly 
failed,  and  for  a while  he  had  been  madly 
insane.  Nature  had  at  last  become  exhaust- 
ed, and  now  his  dying  was  a question  of  only 
a few  days. 

Looking  on  the  face  of  her  brother  for  a 
few  moments,  Leng  Tso  stepped  to  his  bed- 
side and  asked, 

“ Brother  Iau,  do  you  know  me  ?” 

He  opened  his  eyes  with  a vacant  stare 
and  looked  at  her  for  a moment  or  two, 
and  then  the  eyes  closed  again. 


332 


LENG  TSO. 


“ Don’t  you  know  me,  your  sister  Leng 
Tso,  Bun  Cliim  ?”  asked  she,  again,  in  a 
louder  voice.  “ I am  your  sister,  once  the  lit- 
tle girl  Leng  Tso.  Do  not  you  know  me  ?” 
Again  he  opened  his  eyes  and  looked,  and 
then,  with  an  effort,  said, 

“ Do  not  know.” 

“ Do  you  know  Jesus  your  Saviour  ?” 
asked  she. 

A look  came  over  the  sick  man’s  face 
showing  that  he  understood,  and  his  lips 
murmured, 

“ Yes,  I have  known  him  many  years. 
He  knows  me,  too  ; I belong  to  him.” 
After  speaking  a few  words  about  the  Sav- 
iour the  Bible-womau  asked, 

“ Do  not  you  remember  your  little  sister 
Leng  Tso  who  lived  with  you  in  the  village 
along  the  water,  under  the  old  banian  tree? 
She  was  sold  to  buy  food  for  you  and  Seng 
and  father  and  mother.” 

Iau  murmured  something  that  she  took  to 
mean  that  he  did  remember,  but  it  was  long 
ago. 

“ I am  that  little  sister,”  added  she.  “ I 
have  come  to  talk  with  you  of  Jesus.” 


LENG  ISO’S  SO  RIO  [V. 


333 


“ Yes,  yes  !”  replied  he,  after  a minute  or 
two  of  effort  to  bring  out  the  words  ; “ I know 
him.  It  is  he  who  saves  me.  He  loves  me, 
and  I am  a sinner,  too ; but  it  is  like  him  to 
love  those  who  have  no  one  else  to  love 
them.” 

Iau  sank  slowly,  but  surely.  He  remain- 
ed most  of  the  time  in  a quiet,  unconscious 
state,  but  as  the  end  approached  there  came 
times  when  he  seemed  more  like  himself. 
He  appeared  to  recognize  his  family,  espe- 
cially his  son,  the  preacher.  One  day,  after 
gazing  intently  at  this  son,  the  father  spoke 
to  him  and  said, 

“Preach  the  doctrine!  Preach  the  doc- 
trine! It  is  true;  it  saves.  Nothing  else 
will.  The  Middle  Kingdom  is  sick — sick 
unto  death — but  the  doctrine  will  save  it. 
It  is  the  only  medicine  to  save  the  Mid- 
dle Kingdom.” 

The  end  came  unexpectedly.  Only  Leng 
Tso  was  with  the  sick  man  when  he  opened 
his  eyes  and  asked, 

“ Have  they  come  yet  ?” 

“ Who  ?”  inquired  his  sister. 

“ The  messengers,”  replied  he.  “ The 


334 


LENG  TSO. 


Lord  promised  to  send  messengers  for  me, 
and  I have  been  waiting  for  them.  Tell 
them,  when  they  come  to  the  door,  that  I 
am  ready.  I am  not  fit  to  go  with  them  to 
meet  the  Lord,  but  he  knows  all  about  it 
and  will  send  the  wedding-garment.  I have 
been  washed,  and  am  clean  and  ready  to  go. 
The  blood  of  Jesus  has  washed  out  the  very 
stains  of  my  sins.  Jesus  has  done  it  all ; he 
wanted  me,  and  I want  him  so  much  ! He 
will  overlook,  because  he  so  loves  me,  every- 
thing that  is  not  as  it  should  be.  Yes,  I am 
ready — all  ready.” 

“ I hope  you  will  not  go  yet,”  spoke  the 
sister ; “ there  is  work  for  you  on  earth. 
You  are  not  so  old  a man;  many  years 
may  be  yours  to  live  and  work  here  for 
the  Lord.” 

“No;  my  days  are  ended.  I wanted  to 
stay  and  work  longer,  but  now  I wish  to  go. 
Life  has  been  short,  but  sad  and  evil.  I 
have  had  troubles  of  which  none  know. 
Come  near,  and  I will  tell  my  sister ; she 
can  understand.  I am  weak,  and  cannot  say 
much  nor  speak  loud.  Listen.  Do  not  call 
others ; you  can  tell  what  they  should  know. 


LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 


335 


When  I built  that  house  for  the  foreign  pas- 
tors and  received  orders  to  build  others  be- 
cause that  was  so  well  built,  I was  happy  and 
became  proud.  I thought  too  much  of  my- 
self. I might  have  forgotten  God,  but  he  let 
me  suffer  for  my  pride.  I would  not  listen. 
Teacher  Minturn  and  teacher  Wagner  warn- 
ed me  ; so  did  teacher  May  before  he  went 
home  the  last  time  to  his  native  country. 
But  I said  it  would  be  well.  I took  the 
work  of  the  foreign  doctor,  and  meant  to 
do  it  well,  but  he  determined  to  cheat  me. 
He  threatened  and  was  very  harsh.  He  said 
fearful  things,  and  I thought  that  he  could 
do  all  he  said.  No,  no ! I must  not  think 
of  him.  I have  forgiven  him — yes,  I have 
prayed  for  him,  and  hope  that  God  will  for- 
give him.  All  said  that  I was  overworking 
and  would  kill  myself.  No  ; it  was  not  that. 
I worked  so  to  keep  evil  thoughts  out  of  my 
mind.  I was  afraid  that  the  foreign  doctor 
would  kill  me ; I thought  that  he  would 
give  me  poison  medicine.  No,  no ! I must 
not  think  of  that ; for  I am  going  where  all 
will  know  that  I meant  to  do  right.  I did 
not  cheat.” 


336 


LENG  TSO. 


“ No  one  thinks  that  you  did,”  spoke 
Leng  Tso,  gently.  “ Do  not  let  that  trouble 
you.  That  foreign  doctor  has  not  learned  to 
be  like  Jesus ; he  is  not  one  of  the  Lord’s 
disciples.” 

“ I know  it,”  said  the  sick  man,  “ but  did 
not  know  that  at  first.  lie  goes  to  the  foreign 
chapel — that  is,  when  he  is  not  too  drunk 
— and  the  chapel-keeper  says  that  he  bows 
his  head  when  others  pray ; and  whenever 
the  name  of  Jesus  is  spoken  by  the  preacher, 
he  bows  his  head.  That  made  me  think  that 
the  doctor  was  a disciple  too.  I thought  if  he 
was  one,  then — But  no ; I will  not  tell  even 
you  all  I thought,  it  was  so  bad.  It  is  all 
gone  now.  I learned  the  truth,  hut  Satan 
tempted  me  to  think  that  all  were  wicked 
at  heart.” 

“ You  are  too  weak  to  talk  now,”  said 
Leng  Tso,  when  her  brother  stopped  to  rest. 

“ I am  weak,  but  I am  almost  through ; 
let  me  speak  a few  words  more.  The  more 
I thought  and  talked  with  the  foreign 
teachers,  the  better  I felt.  Satan  then  told 
me  that  I was  too  wicked  to  be  saved,  and 
that  God  would  not  have  a man  who  so  long 


LENG  TSO’S  SORROW. 


337 


had  worshiped  idols.  He  kept-  telling  me 
of  my  sins,  and  made  me  feel  that  I was  the 
'worst  man  in  the  world.  But  even  that 
temptation  did  not  last.  I told  the  evil  one 
what  the  holy  book  says,  and  said  that  I 
believed  and  meant  to  trust  that;  then  he 
grew  tired.  After  that  it  was  easier  for  me, 
but  he  soon  became  rested,  and  tried  again  ; 
yet  the  Lord  was  my  help,  and  I knew  that 
he  would  not  leave  me.  My  soul  became 
peaceful  and  happy.  Then  I wanted  to  do 
more  yet  to  show  that  I and  all  I had 
belonged  to  the  Lord.  I tried  to  do  all  I 
could  for  him,  and  to  let  Satan  see  that  I 
knew  that  Jesus  loved  me  and  I him.  But 
I cannot  tell  what  happened  since  I became 
sick.  All  is  gone  except  it  seemed  to  me 
that  the  Lord  said  it  is  time  that  I rested 
from  the  work.  Then  I heard  his  voice  say 
that  he  would  send  messengers  to  take  me 
. where  I might  rest.  I have  been  very  tired, 
and  as  I lay  with  my  eyes  closed  I tried  to 
hear  the  messengers’  footsteps.  Do  you 
think  they  will  come  soon?” 

A change  in  the  countenance  of  her 
brother  told  Leng  Tso  that  the  messengers 
22 


338 


LENQ  TSO. 


were  near.  Hastily  she  called  Iau’s  wife 
and  family,  and  then  returned  to  the  side  of 
the  dying  man.  Hardly  had  those  in  the 
house  reached  the  bedside  when  Iau  lifted 
up  his  hands  and  spoke  in  a clear  though 
low  voice : 

“ Here  I am.  I am  waiting,  and  all 
ready.  I have  nothing  of  my  own  to  wear ; 
have  you  the  wedding-garment  ?”  Then,  as 
if  he  saw  it,  he  said  joyfully,  ‘‘  Yes,  they 
have  it.  Yes,  Jesus  has  sent  them  for  me. 
They  are  coming  this  way,  and  for  me.  Oh, 
for  me — a poor  worthless  sinner,  but  a sinner 
whom  God  so  loved ! A sinner  for  whom 
Jesus  died  ! I am  too  weak  to  walk  ; will 
you  carry  me  ? They  have  wings  ; they  are 
angels.  I am  going.” 

Iau’s  face  was  lit  up  with  a smile  that  was 
so  beautiful,  so  unlike  anything  the  others 
had  ever  seen  on  that  careworn  face,  that 
each  one  looked  on  it  with  silent  wonder. 
The  hands  had  fallen  by  his  side,  the  eyes 
were  closed ; the  bosom  heaved  slowly  and 
fell  once  or  twice,  and  then  was  still.  The 
messengers  had  taken  him,  and  the  weary 
Iau  was  at  rest.  Soon  the  smile  passed  from 


LENG  TSO’S  SOB  ROW. 


339 


the  features  and  they  wore  their  old  pinched, 
sad,  sunken  look,  but  those  who  had  seen  the 
smile  remembered  it  and  thought  of  Iau’s  end 
of  earth  in  the  light  of  that  smile  rather 
than  from  the  old  careworn  look,  that  so 
soon  came  back.  The  family  of  the  dead 
man  thought  of  him  now,  not  as  the  insane 
father  and  husband  that  had  been,  but  of 
what  he  was  before  his  mind  left  its  throne 
— of  the  loving,  gentle,  kind  husband  and 
father  of  the  years  before. 

Thus  do  we  sometimes  stand  by  our  dying 
and  see  the  weak,  suffering  invalids,  the 
feeble-minded,  the  wasted  remnants  of  what 
were  once  beings  of  whom  we  were  proud, 
suddenly  transformed  into  glorified  ones. 


CHAPTER  XI Y. 

PERSECUTED,  BUT  SUSTAINED. 

rpHE  Bible-woman  had  been  visiting  in 
the  country  around  Thau  Pau,  the  Foo 
city  and  Chang  Bay,  but  after  the  death  of 
Khiau’s  wife  she  seemed  to  feel  that  she 
should  turn  to  another  field  than  that  in 
which  her  old  friend  was  working.  Some 
time  after  the  death  of  her  brother  she 
decided  to  visit  the  country  north  of  Ha 
Bun,  and  to  spend  some  time  among  the 
women  there.  She  longed  to  go  back  to  the 
Foo  city,  and  would  very  gladly  have  spent 
some  time  at  Thau  Pau,  but  her  own  heart 
told  her  that  it  would  be  to  see  her  friend 
Kliiau. 

The  Bible-woman  visited  the  church  at 
Ang  Tung  Thau,  and  later  that  of  Tang 
Wan,  as  a stranger,  but  not  long  did  she 
remain  a stranger  to  the  Christians  there. 


340 


PERSECUTED,  BUT  SUSTAINED.  341 

She  was  acquainted  with  the  preachers,  and 
by  them  was  gladly  introduced  to  the  people. 
Soon  her  visits  to  a home  were  as  welcome 
in  that  region  as  if  they  had  been  made  near 
her  old  home.  One  day,  as  she  entered  the 
home  of  a Christian  family  in  a village  not 
far  from  the  city,  she  was  surprised  to  see 
the  look  of  sorrow  on  the  faces  of  all  and 
the  mother  in  tears. 

“ What  is  the  matter  ? Why  do  you 
weep?”  asked  the  Bible-woman. 

“ W e must  leave  our  home,”  replied  the 
woman,  “ and  be  driven  from  the  village  as 
beggars.  The  men  who  came  to  warn  us 
have  just  gone  away.  Oh,  what  shall  we 
do?  Will  the  Lord  allow  his  servants  to 
suffer  thus?  Must  we  give  up  all  for  his 
sake?  What  shall  we  do  for  food  and 
shelter  ? What  shall  I do  with  the  little 
ones  ?” 

Leng  Tso  could  not  gain  from  the  weep- 
ing woman  a satisfactory  answer,  so  she 
turned  to  the  husband. 

“ It  is  so,”  said  he  ; “ the  village  elders 
say  we  must  leave  the  place.  They  were 
here  this  morning.  They  say  that  they  will 


342 


LENG  TSO. 


not  allow  any  in  the  village  who  worship 
foreign  gods.  The  trouble  began  some  time 
ago.  When  the  crops  ripened  and  we  were 
getting  ready  to  gather  our  share — that  is, 
my  brother  and  myself — the  people  forbade 
us,  and  said  that  our  share  on  the  family- 
field  must  go  for  the  support  of  the  temple- 
worship  and  for  providing  paper  and  food 
and  other  things  for  the  worship  of  the 
spirits  of  the  ancestors.*  They  said  that,  as 
we  had  deserted  the  religion  of  our  fathers, 
we  had  no  right  to  anything,  and  all  the 
crops  we  had  raised  were  forfeited  and  must 
be  given  for  the  worship.” 

“ But  if  each  family  works  a share  of  the 
property,”  said  Leng  Tso,  “ you  surely  have 
a right  to  do  as  you  will  with  your  own 
share.  If  you  do  not  wish  to  use  it  for  the 
temples  or  feasts  of  the  spirits,  they  cannot 
compel  you  to  do  so.” 

* In  many  villages  in  China  there  is  ground  worked  in 
common,  or  by  turns,  by  the  different  families.  The  village  in 
such  cases  is  usually  settled  by  relatives  who  have  held  the 
land  as  a common  possession  since  the  death  of  the  founder  of 
the  family.  Part  of  the  proceeds  of  crops  on  such  fields  is 
used  for  keeping  up  idolatrous  worship.  Sometimes,  as  in  the 
case  here,  each  individual  family  works  a part  of  the  common 
property,  and  each  pays  a share  toward  the  idolatrous  feasts. 


PERSECUTED,  BUT  SUSTAINED.  343 

“ They  will  compel  us  or  drive  us  from 
the  village,”  replied  the  man,  sadly.  “ They 
would  not  let  us  have  our  crops,  but  kept 
them,  as  they  say,  for  the  worship  of  the 
gods  and  the  dead.  We  have  thus  little  to 
show  for  our  work  except  what  we  raised  on 
our  own  private  fields.  Even  that  we  could 
endure,  but  they  have  told  us  that  we  shall 
not  stay  in  the  village  at  all.  They  mean  to 
drive  us  out,  and  will  take  all  our  property. 
If  we  remain,  they  will  cause  a disturbance, 
and  then  tell  the  mandarins  that  we  were  to 
blame.  The  mandarins  would  believe  them, 
for  enough  would  be  willing  to  testify  against 
us  for  the  sake  of  getting  our  property  and 
removing  Christians  from  the  place.” 

“ Have  you  told  the  foreign  teachers  ?” 
asked  Leng  Tso. 

“ Yes,  we  sent  word  to  them  some  time 
ago ; but  the  people  around  here  say  that 
they  will  kill  the  foreigners  if  they  come 
here.  We  do  not  wish  to  have  them  killed.” 
“ They  will  not  be  killed,”  replied  the  Bi- 
ble-woman.  “They  will  not  need  to  come 
here,  but  will  have  the  mandarins  attend  to 
the  matter.” 


344 


LENG  TSO. 


The  missionaries  received  the  message, 
and  advised  the  preachers  near  Tang  Wan 
to  visit  the  village  and  try  to  arrange  to 
have  a peaceable  division  of  the  property. 
Two  men  went  to  the  village,  and  while 
pleasantly  talking  with  some  of  the  leading 
villagers  a mob  set  upon  them  with  spears 
and  guns  and  drove  the  two  preachers  from 
the  village,  threatening  to  kill  them  if  they 
remained  a moment  or  returned.  The  mob 
then  turned  to  the  two  families  of  Christians 
and  ordered  them  to  give  up  Christianity 
or  leave  the  place.  The  heads  of  the  fright- 
ened families  begged  for  time  to  consider,  but 
no  time  was  allowed.  The  order  was  to  de- 
cide at  once. 

“ We  will  leave  the  village,”  said  the  two 
men,  “ as  soon  as  we  sell  what  property  we 
own  here.” 

“ You  must  go  at  once,”  was  the  reply. 
“ You  own  no  property  here.  You  have 
turned  against  the  gods  and  the  spirits  of 
your  ancestors.  You  are  traitors,  and  the 
property  is  no  longer  yours.  By  turning 
from  the  Middle  Kingdom  you  have  turned 
from  all  you  owned.” 


PERSECUTED,  BUT  SUSTAINED.  345 

In  vain  they  pleaded  for  a few  days,  and 
then  for  a few  hours.  Not  an  hour  was 
given.  The  Christians  were  hurried  out  of 
the  place  at  the  point  of  spears  and  the 
muzzles  of  guns.  Carrying  what  little 
property  they  could  gather,  the  faithful 
ones  became  exiles  and  outcasts.  To  be 
turned  from  the  door  of  one’s  home,  to  be 
driven  out  as  a homeless  wanderer,  is  a 
sad  lot  for  any  one  in  America,  but  far  worse 
in  China.  Had  it  not  been  for  Christian 
friends,  the  outcasts  might  have  been  left  to 
perish,  but  at  the  chapel  in  the  city  of  Tang 
Wan  and  among  the  families  of  Christians 
in  the  city  they  found  shelter  and  food. 

As  soon  as  the  two  families  left  their  homes 
their  property  was  taken  and  divided  among 
the  men  who  drove  them  out.  This  was  so 
plain  a case  of  illegal  persecution  that  the 
foreign  consul  protested  against  it  to  the  man- 
darins. The  chief  mandarin  of  the  city, 
under  whose  charge  the  village  was,  dared 
not  act.  He  found  the  village-people  not 
only,  but  many  of  the  wealthy  and  power- 
ful ones  in  Tang  Wan  itself,  were  secretly 
aiding  the  enemies  of  Christianity.  The 


346 


LENG  TSO. 


mandarin  was  in  sympathy  with  the  opposition 
to  Christianity,  and  would  do  no  more  than 
he  could  help.  After  mild  measures  had 
failed  the  consul  sent  an  urgent  despatch  to 
the  mandarin,  demanding  that  the  case  of 
the  Christians  be  attended  to,  and  that  they 
be  allowed  to  return  to  their  homes  and  to 
their  property.  An  examination  was  ordered. 
After  a very  hasty  one  the  mandarin  directed 
the  Christians  to  return  to  their  village  and 
behave  themselves,  and  he  would  see  whether 
their  property  had  been  taken.  He  gave  no 
further  decision  and  no  order  regarding  the 
persecutors,  who  saw  at  once  that  they  had 
little  cause  for  fear.  To  go  home  would  have 
been  easy  enough  had  the  Christians  had  a 
home  to  go  to,  but  the  enemies  had  robbed 
them  of  homes  as  well  as  of  property.  An 
investigation  was  made,  but  the  robbers  were 
careful  to  fee  the  officers,  so  that  themselves 
not  only  escaped  punishment,  but  were  not 
even  compelled  to  give  up  their  ill-gotten 
property.  The  lower  officers  found  that  they 
had  a chance  to  earn  a little  money  on  their 
own  responsibility.  These  men  knew  that 
when  foreigners  took  a matter  in  hand  they 


PERSECUTED , BUT  SUSTAINED.  347 

usually  kept  at  it  until  justice  was  given. 
Nor  were  the  officials  wrong : the  consul  did 
not  stop  until  the  people  who  had  been  driv- 
en from  home  and  robbed  were  brought  back 
and  allowed  to  hold  their  possessions  again. 
Meanwhile,  the  lower  officials  took  occasion 
to  demand  money  from  the  enemies  again 
and  again  to  keep  them  from  the  hands  of  jus- 
tice. In  time  this  cost  so  much  that  the  ene- 
mies of  Christianity  saw  that  they  had  better 
make  peace  with  the  Christians  than  with  the 
lower  officials.  They  found  that  it  cost  more 
even  in  China  to  be  robbers  than  to  be  hon- 
est; so  at  last  an  agreement  was  made  by 
which  the  two  families  were  allowed  to  take 
possession  of  most  of  their  property. 

Shortly  after  the  exiles  were  permitted 
to  return,  the  Bible-woman  visited  the  vil- 
lage to  spend  a few  days  in  reading  and 
teaching  in  the  homes  of  those  willing  to 
receive  her. 

“ So  the  Lord  did  not  allow  you  to  lose 
all,”  said  Leng  Tso,  “ though  he  suffered  you 
to  be  severely  tried.” 

“ No,”  replied  the  woman  to  whom  she 
spoke ; “ we  have  most  of  our  property  back, 


348 


LENG  TSO. 


but  could  not  get  all,  nor  any  part  of  the 
crops  raised  during  the  past  year.  Yet  we 
are  thankful  to  be  allowed  to  come  back 
and  have  anything.  We  showed  that  we  were 
willing  to  give  up  all  for  the  Lord,  and  he  has 
let  us  take  much  of  it  back.  I do  not  wish 
to  complain,  but  we  still  suffer  from  the  ha- 
tred of  our  enemies.” 

“ The  Lord  knows  all ; and  when  he  has  al- 
lowed them  to  do  as  much  as  he  sees  is  for 
your  good,  he  will  stop  them.  The  Lord 
suffers  us  to  endure  great  trials,  but  brings 
us  safely  through  if  we  but  trust  him  and  re- 
main faithful.  You  know  that  the  holy  book 
says  of  the  righteous  who  were  clothed  in 
white  at  last  that  ‘ these  came  out  of  great 
tribulation.’  Let  us  all  be  patient,  for  de- 
liverance will  come.” 


Chinese  City  Life. 


Page  340. 


- 

' 


' 


CHAPTER  XY. 

A WIFE’S  TRIALS. 

GAIN  the  reader  is  asked  to  go  back  to 


a home  in  tlie  city  of  Ha  Bun  and  to  a 
period  more  than  forty  years  ago.  A Mrs. 
Poh — Poll  So,  as  the  Chinese  then  called 
her ; later  she  was  known  as  Poh  Chim, 
and  so  may  be  known  here — had  lost  her 
husband  and  was  left  with  a small  family  to 
feed  and  clothe.  For  a while  she  struggled 
on,  working  and  earning  as  well  as  she  could 
enough  to  feed  and  to  clothe  all.  Like  all 
around  her,  Poh  Chim  was  an  idolater  and 
faithful  to  the  worship  of  her  ancestors. 
When  one  of  her  children — a girl — was 
nine  years  old,  Poh  Chim  gave  her  to  a 
family  to  become  the  future  wife  of  a boy  in 
that  family.  The  two  children  thus  became 
playmates  as  well  as  acquaintances,  though, 
as  Lian,  the  girl,  grew  older,  the  two  were 


350 


LENG  TSO. 


not  allowed  to  be  as  intimate  as  in  earlier 
days ; yet  they  were  not  kept  ignorant  of 
the  fact  that  they  were  to  be  married  when 
grown  up. 

It  may  be  said  here  that  it  is  not  an  un- 
common custom  in  China  for  parents  to  take 
girls  into  their  families  to  become  the  future 
wives  of  their  boys.  Such  girls  are  regard- 
ed as  daughters,  though  compelled  to  work. 
One  taken  in  this  way  cannot  be  made  a 
slave. 

Some  years  after  the  daughter  had  become 
a member  of  this  family,  Poh  Chim  heard 
the  gospel  and  became  a Christian.  She 
now  wished  to  have  her  daughter  back,  that 
she  might  be  taught  the  truth  ; but  Lian’s 
future  husband  and  the  whole  family  re- 
mained idolaters.  Lian  did  not  cease  to 
visit  her  own  mother.  The  feeling  of 
mother  and  daughter  had  not  been  lost,  for 
the  child  had  been  permitted  to  visit  her 
mother  occasionally  ever  since  she  was 
betrothed.  After  her  marriage  the  young 
wife  visited  her  old  home  as  much  as  ever; 
the  two  places  were  so  near  that  this  could 
readily  be  done.  During  these  visits  the 


A WIFE’S  TRIALS. 


351 


mother  tried  to  teach  her  daughter  the  truths 
of  the  gospel.  Lian  at  first  listened  with 
respect,  but  soon  grew  tired  of  the  new 
religion.  Poll  Chim  would  not  give  up,  but 
each  time  her  daughter  came  home  urged 
her  to  think  about  the  truth,  and  tried  in 
every  way  possible  to  persuade  Lian  to  go 
to  the  mission-chapel  to  hear  the  gospel. 
Sometimes  the  daughter  refused  to  listen 
to  the  pleadings  of  the  mother,  and  was 
ready  to  leave  the  house  if  anything  were 
said  about  the  foreign  religion.  But  the 
pleadings  eventually  had  their  effect.  In- 
stead of  refusing  to  visit  her  old  home,  the 
young  woman  came  oftener  to  see  her  mother 
and  to  hear  the  truth.  One  day  she  asked, 

“ Mother,  how  is  it  that  I,  who  ivas  so 
unwilling  to  listen,  now  wish  to  hear  more? 
It  was  not  myself  who  brought  about  this 
change,  and  you  could  not  do  it ; how  did  it 
happen  ?” 

“ God  did  it,”  readied  the  mother.  “ I 
have  prayed  for  you,  and  did  not  cease 
hoping  that  you  would  after  a while  listen 
to  the  doctrine.  I knew  it  to  be  the  truth, 
and  knew  what  it  had  done  for  me,  so  washed 


352 


LENG  TSO. 


my  daughter  to  know  it  too ; for  that  reason 
I prayed.” 

“ Is  it  because  God  answered  your  prayer 
that  I wish  to  hear  now?  If  so,  will  he 
hear  your  prayer  that  I may  know  more?” 
“ Certainly,”  replied  the  mother  ; “ and 
if  you  pray,  he  will  send  his  Holy  Spirit  to 
open  your  heart  that  you  may  understand 
the  truth  and  have  your  sins  forgiven.” 

“ Will  he  forgive  my  sins  too?  I did  not 
believe  that  what  you  told  me  about  my 
being  a sinner  was  true  ; it  seemed  so  strange 
that  I should  have  sinned  against  a foreign 
God.  If  you  had  said  that  I had  sinned 
against  the  gods  of  the  Middle  Kingdom,  I 
might  have  believed  it,  but  did  not  think  it 
possible  that  I could  have  sinned  enough  to 
have  made  it  necessary  for  God  to  send  his 
Son  into  the  world  to  die  that  I might  be 
saved.  Did  he  die  for  me?  How  did  he 
know  about  me?” 

“Yes,”  replied  the  mother,  “Jesus  knows 
all  about  sinners,  and  knows  every  one. 
More  than  that,  he  loves  every  one,  and 
would  save  every  one.” 

“ Mother,  will  he  save  me  ? Why  does 


.4  WIFE ’S  TRIALS. 


353 


he  want  such  a poor,  worthless  woman  as 
I am?  I cannot  do  anything  for  him.  I 
have  been  very  wicked,  and  cannot  under- 
stand how  he  can  care  for  me.” 

“ Lian,  we  cannot  understand  much  that 
God  does.  When  you  were  a little  child, 
you  could  not  understand  much  of  what  I 
did,  so  you  were  obliged  to  believe  it  was 
right ; and  as  you  grew  older  you  learned 
that  many  things  were  right,  did  you  not?” 
“ Yes,  mother — all  but  your  letting  my 
husband’s  family  take  me  from  home.” 

“ Even  that  I was  forced  to  do  because  we 
were  so  poor  then.” 

“ I wish  that  I was  at  home  again  with 
you.  I do  not  wish  to  offer  incense  to  idols 
and  bow  to  the  tablets  of  my  husband’s 
ancestors.  What  shall  I do?  I do  not 
believe  the  idols  or  spirits  can  help  me.  I 
want  to  worship  the  true  God.  The  gods 
of  the  Middle  Kingdom  do  not  love  people 
as  the  true  God  does.  What  shall  I do?” 
“I  can  hardly  answer,”  said  Poll  Chim. 
“ I will  ask  the  foreign  pastors  on  the  Sab- 
bath-day, if  I can  speak  to  them.  But  why 
cannot  you  go  with  me  to  the  chapel  and 

23 


354 


LENG  TSO. 


attend  the  inquiry-meeting?  There  you 
can  ask  the  foreign  teacher  yourself.” 

“ I do  wish  to  go  to  the  service,  but  am 
afraid  to  ask  the  teacher  anything ; my 
husband  might  find  fault.  I think  he  will 
let  me  go  to  worship.” 

Lian  went  to  the  cliapel-service  the  next 
Sabbath,  and  was  at  the  inquiry-meeting. 
Her  mother  asked  the  missionary  what  her 
daughter  should  do  about  worshiping  idols 
and  the  spirits  of  her  husband’s  ancestors. 

The  missionary  replied  by  repeating  the 
first  and  second  commandments. 

“ God  says  that ; so,  if  we  are  to  take  him 
as  our  God,  we  must  do  as  he  commands. 
We  should  in  all  cases  obey  God  rather  than 
man.” 

Lian  listened  to  the  answer,  and  asked, 

“ What  if  they  command  me  to  worship  ?” 
“ Have  you  determined  to  serve  the  true 
God  ?”  asked  the  missionary. 

“ I have,”  was  the  reply. 

“ Then  do  as  he  says  rather  than  as 
others  say.  Obey  husband  and  others  as 
long  as  you  can  do  so  without  disobeying 
Gorl,  but  God  first.” 


A WIFE ’S  TRIALS. 


355 


Lian  said  no  more,  but  quietly  thought 
that  she  would  obey  God.  She  tried  to  hope 
that  she  might  escape  being  requested  to  cel- 
ebrate the  worship.  She  had  little  trouble 
about  idol-worship  for  some  time  ; the  moth- 
er-in-law attended  to  that  rather  than  allow 
the  young  woman  to  take  charge  of  it. 

Though  escaping  difficulty  here,  the  young 
wife  came  into  greater  difficulty  elsewhere ; 
she  was  more  easily  convinced  as  to  her 
duty  than  as  to  how  she  should  accept  the 
Saviour. 

“ How  is  it,  mother,”  asked  she  one  day, 
“ that  I cannot  find  the  way  ? Jesus  says  that 
he  is  the  way,  but  it  is  dark  to  me.  I look 
and  look,  but  see  not  a footstep  to  tell  me 
that  I am  near  the  path.  I pray  and  wait 
for  God  to  show  me,  but  the  light  does  not 
come.  Will  it  always  be  dark  ?” 

“ No,  my  child  ; Jesus  says  they  that  seek 
shall  find.  The  Saviour  knows  that  you 
wish  to  find  him,  and  will  not  let  you  seek 
in  vain.  Perhaps  there  is  something  in  the 
way.  He  says,  ‘ Behold,  I stand  at  the  door 
and  knock.’  Is  the  door  of  your  heart  open 
to  welcome  him  in  ?” 


356 


LENG  TSO. 


“ I do  not  know,  but  I wish  to  have  it 
stand  open  all  the  time.  I have  asked  him 
to  come  in,  but  it  appears  as  if  he  did  not 
hear.  Do  you  pray  for  me?” 

“ Yes ; I have  not  ceased  to  pray  for  you 
since  first  I trusted  Jesus.  Perhaps  there  is 
something  shutting  the  door  of  your  heart, 
so  that  the  Lord  cannot  push  it  open.  Have 
you  given  up  all  envy,  passion  and  hate, 
and  do  you  try  to  live  aright?  Do  you 
try  to  do  all  that  God  commands?” 

“ Wait,  mother ; I do  not  do  all.  I do  not 
try  to  please  my  mother-in-law ; she  is  so 
harsh  and  unkind  that  I hate  her.  Must  I 
love  her  ? How  can  I ?” 

“ I do  not  think  that  we  are  to  love  all 
alike  or  to  love  the  evil  in  others,  but  to  be 
willing  to  do  all  we  can  for  their  good  and 
to  be  willing  to  make  sacrifices  to  give  them 
happiness.” 

“ I have  not  done  that  with  her.  I have 
wished  her  evil,  and  yet  I do  not  wish  to 
harm  her  myself.” 

“ I am  afraid  that  your  ill-feeling  toward 
her  is  like  a bar  across  the  door  of  your 
heart,  keeping  the  Saviour  from  coming  in.” 


A WIFE ’S  TRIALS. 


357 


“What  shall  I do?  I cannot  love  her.” 
“ Pray  the  Holy  Spirit  to  help  you  treat 
her  kindly  and  lead  you  into  all  truth  and 
teach  yon  of  Jesus.” 

At  another  time  Lian  asked, 

“ How  am  I to  know  that  Jesus  will  save 
me?” 

“ You  must  believe  that  he  will.  He  says 
that  he  will,  and  you  must  have  faith  that 
he  will  keep  his  word.  Then  give  yourself, 
your  life  and  all  that  you  have  to  him,  to  be 
his  for  ever.  Leave  it  all  to  him,  believing 
that  he  will  do  for  you  all  that  you  need.” 

“ But,  mother,  what  will  become  of  my 
sins  ? They  are  on  my  soul ; I feel  them 
there — a great  heavy  burden  that  presses 
me  down.  Often  I feel  that  I cannot  carry 
it  any  more.” 

“ Why  should  you,  when  Jesus  says, 
‘ Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I will  give  you  rest  ’ ? Go 
to  him  and  tell  him  that  you  have  come  as 
he  has  called  you,  to  get  the  rest  he  has 
promised.” 

“ Is  that  the  way  ?” 

“ Yes.” 


358 


LENG  TSO. 


“Now  I begin  to  see : tlie  darkness  is  less 
than  I thought  it  was.” 

Lian  went  to  the  Saviour,  and  found  the 
rest  he  promised.  When  she  was  about  nine- 
teen years  old  she  was  baptized  and  admitted 
to  the  church  as  a member.  Now  began  the 
woman’s  real  trials.  Her  husband’s  mother 
had  allowed  her  to  go  to  church,  but  now  that 
she  was  accepted  by  the  Christians  as  one  of 
their  number  the  family  awakened  to  see  that 
she  had  given  up  idolatry  not  only,  but  every- 
thing that  belonged  to  the  worship  of  China. 
It  must  not  be  supposed  that  they  said  noth- 
ing against  Lian’s  becoming  a Christian,  but 
now  that  she  had  publicly  renounced  the  gods 
and  the  spirit- worship  of  China  her  husband 
and  also  her  mother-in-law  determined  to  show 
their  will  and  their  power.  They  forbade  her 
going  to  church  and  having  anything  to  do 
with  the  foreign  religion  ; they  tried  to  com- 
pel her  to  renounce  her  faith  in  the  Saviour. 
But  in  vain ; quietly  but  decidedly  she  con- 
tinued to  worship  the  true  God.  They  tried 
to  prevent  her  going  to  her  mother’s  home, 
but  it  was  impossible  to  keep  her  entirely  shut 
in,  and  at  rare  intervals  she  visited  her  moth- 


.4  WIFE’S  TRIALS. 


359 


er  and  was  by  her  counseled  to  remain  firm 
in  the  faith,  but  to  be  careful  not  to  arouse 
the  auger  of  any.  As  her  little  boy  began 
to  learn  Lian  taught  him  of  Jesus  and  to 
pray.  This  angered  the  father  and  the 
grandmother  very  much.  The  husband  for- 
bade his  wife  teaching  their  child  to  pray  to 
the  foreign  God,  and  told  her  that  if  she  con- 
tinued to  pray  to  God  he  would  whip  her. 
One  day  he  came  into  her  room  as  she  was 
kneeling  in  prayer.  In  a moment  of  pas- 
sion the  man  whipped  her  severely,  and 
threatened  to  do  even  worse  if  she  again 
disobe}’ed  him. 

When  her  mother’s  relatives  heard  of  the 
abuse  Lian  received  from  her  husband,  they 
were  indignant ; but  they  were  almost  pow- 
erless. China  has  little  law  to  control  the 
husband’s  treatment  of  his  wife.  But  rela- 
tives of  the  wife  sometimes  take  the  law  into 
their  own  hands.  When  Lian’s  relatives 
heard  how  she  was  abused,  they  offered  to 
buy  her.  Lim,  the  husband,  would  perhaps 
have  sold  his  wife,  but  his  family  refused. 
All  efforts  to  purchase  Lian  were  vain,  and 
she  was  left  to  the  cruelties  of  her  husband 


360 


LENG  TSO. 


and  his  relatives.  She  was  not  allowed  a 
room,  nor  even  a bed,  in  which  to  sleep,  but 
was  obliged  to  lie  down  at  night  with  any  of 
the  female  members  of  the  family  who  would 
allow  her  a place  to  rest.  Her  property  and 
the  presents  she  had  received  were  taken 
away,  and  she  was  treated  as  a worthless 
being  only  suffered  to  stay  in  the  home  of 
her  husband’s  family,  but  for  whom  no  one 
cared  and  whom  none  respected. 

For  nearly  four  years  Lian  endured  such 
abuse  and  insult,  until  her  brother,  watching 
his  opportunity,  secretly  took  her  away  to 
the  home  of  her  mother  ; there  she  remained 
for  a while,  hidden  like  a fugitive  from  her 
husband’s  family.  It  was  soon  known  where 
she  was,  yet  she  was  allowed  to  remain  at  her 
old  home  for  several  years — perhaps  as  much 
because  Lim’s  family  feared  to  meet  his  wife’s 
relatives  as  from  any  unwillingness  on  the 
part  of  Lim’s  relatives  to  bring  her  back. 
After  some  years  the  husband  visited  his 
wife  and  asked  her  to  return  and  live  with 
him,  promising  to  treat  her  better.  She  was 
finally  persuaded  to  accompany  him,  but  his 
promise  was  not  long  kept ; he  soon  became 


A WIFE’S  TRIALS. 


361 


the  same  cruel  man  he  had  formerly  been. 
She  was  forbidden  to  read  the  Bible,  to  pray, 
to  attend  church  or  to  have  anything  what- 
ever to  do  with  Christians.  Though  she 
meekly  submitted  as  far  as  goiug  to  church 
and  meeting  other  Christians  were  concerned, 
she  would  not  give  up  prayer  or  reading  the 
Bible,  though  careful  to  do  neither  in  the 
presence  of  her  husband’s  family.  Lim  now 
became  more  than  ever  embittered  against 
his  wife,  and  refused  to  provide  food  for  her 
or  for  the  child.  He  insisted  that  she  should 
work  and  earn  money  for  the  food  and  cloth- 
ing of  herself  and  her  son.  Thus  was  her 
life  made  worse  than  that  of  a slave.  She 
was  insulted,  abused,  and  would  have  been 
starved  and  left  to  die  as  a brute  had  she 
not  been  able  to  earn  some  money  to  feed 
and  clothe  herself  and  her  boy. 

During  all  this  time  the  poor  woman  bore 
her  sufferings  as  meekly  as  possible,  refusing 
to  return  to  her  mother’s  home  and  leave  her 
child  to  be  trained  as  an  idolater,  and  trying 
to  do  her  duty  to  her  child  and  to  her  hus- 
band. It  was  a terrible  trial,  and  the  won- 
der was  that  she  was  willing  to  submit ; but 


362 


LENG  TSO. 


Lian  was  a Christian,  and  she  had  learned 
that  Christians  are  not  to  take  revenge,  but 
must  be  meek  and  pray  for  their  persecutors. 
She  did  pray  constantly  that  her  trials  might 
come  to  an  end  and  she  be  permitted  to  go 
to  the  chapel  and  enjoy  the  services  of  God’s 
house  and  the  company  of  Christians. 

The  worst  seemed  to  be  reached  about  the 
time  the  Bible-woman  came  to  Ha  Bun,  for 
the  husband  had  allowed  his  wife  to  visit  her 
mother  again.  While  on  one  of  these  short 
visits  she  met  Leng  Tso,  who  was  calling  on  * 
Poll  Chim.  The  Bible-woman  had  heard 
the  sorrowful  story  of  the  persecuted  wife, 
and  was  glad  to  speak  a word  of  sympathy 
to  her ; but  when  she  heard  the  whole  story, 
Leng  Tso  felt  like  saying  that  Lian  was  bet- 
ter able  to  tell  her  to  be  patient  than  to  re- 
ceive such  counsel  from  her. 

“ I thought  I had  passed  through  trial,” 
said  the  Bible-woman,  “ but  what  is  mine 
compared  with  what  you  are  enduring  ? I 
have  lost  friends,  but  they  have  gone  before 
me  to  the  better  land  ; I have  many  comforts 
here,  and  many  to  care  for  and  to  love  me, 
but  what  have  you  ?” 


.4  WIFE'S  TRIALS. 


363 


“ Not  much,”  replied  Lian,  “ and  some- 
times I feel  like  saying  that  I have  nothing. 
Were  it  not  for  my  child,  I would  gladly  die; 
but  for  me  to  die  would  be  to  lose  him  for 
ever,  I fear.” 

“ Do  you  forget  the  promise  that  God  will 
be  a God  to  us,  and  to  our  children  after 
us  ?”  asked  Leng  Tso. 

“ I sometimes  forget  everything,”  was  the 
reply.  “ I pray  and  pray  that  my  trials  may 
come  to  an  end  and  that  I may  have  peace, 
but  there  seems  no  end  for  me.  Why  must 
I suffer  so  ? Is  it  because  I have  been  so 
wicked  that  God  allows  me  to  pass  through 
such  sorrow  ?” 

“ No,  it  cannot  be  that,”  spoke  the  Bible- 
woman.  “ Job  was  not  wicked,  and  yet  he 
wras  afflicted  even  more  than  you  have  been, 
for  he  lost  all  his  children  as  well  as  his  prop- 
erty. And  then,  too,  he  was  sick  through  much 
of  his  trial ; you  have  health,  and  you  have 
your  son.” 

“ But  will  God  not  hear  my  prayer  and  let 
me  have  peace  and  rest?  He  allowed  Job 
to  have  peace  and  rest,  and  gave  him  greater 
prosperity  than  he  had  before.” 


364 


LENG  TSO. 


“ So  God  may  mean  to  do  with  you. 
Has  lie  not  already  begun  to  hear  your 
prayer?  You  are  permitted  to  visit  your 
mother  again  ; is  not  that  something  ?” 

“ True,”  replied  the  woman  ; “ and  there 
is  something  more  that  I had  not  thought  to 
tell.  My  son’s  father  gives  rice  enough  now 
for  both  of  us  to  eat ; we  need  not  go  hungry 
any  more.  Besides,  he  furnishes  me  with 
wood  to  cook  the  rice,  though  I must  con- 
tinue to  work  for  money  to  buy  clothing. 
We  are  not  treated  so  unkindly  as  we  were 
some  time  ago.” 

“ Is  not  that  the  beginning  of  an  answer 
to  your  prayer?  It  may  be  that  the  trial  is 
near  its  end,  and  that  your  sorrows  will  be 
less  and  less  and  your  joys  begin  after  a 
while.” 

“ I hope  so,”  responded  Lian.  “ My 
heart  is  nearly  worn  out.  It  seemed  as 
though  my  prayer  never  rose  higher  than 
the  roof  of  the  house.  I kept  on  praying 
because  my  mother  told  me  that  I must  not 
grow  weary,  for  in  due  season  I should  reap 
if  I did  not  faint.” 

Lim  did  grow  kinder,  and  his  mother  less 


A WIFE’S  TRIALS. 


365 


harsh  and  severe.  Lian  was  allowed  to  go 
oftener  to  her  mother’s,  and  after  a time  she 
was  even  permitted  to  attend  the  meetings  at 
the  chapel  on  Sabbaths.  This  was  an  unex- 
pected delight  to  the  humble  Christian,  and 
few  were  more  thankful  than  she  that  first 
Sunday  when  she  went  with  her  mother  to 
church.  But  the  unkindness  did  not  cease  : 
harsh  words  were  often  spoken  and  blows 
were  not  spared ; yet  as  months  went  by  a 
change  for  the  better  could  be  noticed  in 
both  Lim  and  his  mother. 

When  Leng  Tso  returned  from  her  second 
visit  to  Tang  Wan,  she  again  met  Lian  at 
the  home  of  Poh  Chim. 

“ How  far  now  has  the  Lord  heard  your 
prayer  ?”  asked  the  Bible-woman. 

“ He  has  heard  it  partly,”  replied  Lian, 
“ but  far  from  what  I asked.  I am  yet 
treated  as  if  unworthy  the  home  of  my 
husband,  but  his  mother  has  lost  part  of 
her  bitterness  and  he  part  of  his  severity. 
He  says  little  about  my  worshiping  other 
than  the  gods  of  the  Middle  Kingdom,  and 
he  seldom  speaks  about  my  teaching  our 
child.” 


366 


LENG  TSO. 


“ It  will  all  be  well  some  clay,”  said  Leng 
Tso,  “ and  then,  when  you  have  come  forth 
out  of  the  fire  of  affliction,  you  will  come 
forth  purified  and  made  beautiful  for  the 
Master’s  glory,  and  your  own  good  too.” 

“ I wish  that  time  were  near,”  replied 
Lian,  “ for  my  heart  is  sick  of  such  trials  as 
I must  pass  through  ; I do  not  grow  used  to 
them.  When  the  heart  is  sore,  the  least 
wound  pains,  and  it  becomes  less  able  to 
endure  than  at  first.” 

“ It  is  true,”  said  the  Bible-woman,  “ that 
the  heart  that  has  long  borne  a burden  feels 
the  least  thing  added  to  the  load.  I too 
have  carried  sorrows  on  my  heart,  and  they 
have  lain  heavily  there.  Each  additional 
one  seems  very  heavy.” 

“ But  you  have  never  suffered  at  the 
hands  of  one  you  had  learned  to  love,” 
spoke  Lian.  “ You  have  never  known  what 
it  is  to  love,  and  yet  to  be  hated  by  the  one 
you  loved.” 

The  author  does  not  know,  beyond  the 
fact  that  Lim  and  his  family  became  less 
and  less  cruel  to  Lian,  that  they  became 
Christians.  To  judge  from  similar  instances, 


A WIFE’S  TRIALS. 


367 


one  has  reason  to  believe  that  Lian’s  patient 
faithfulness  will  have  the  effect  of  turning 
the  determined  persecutors  to  accept  the 
Saviour  whom  they  so  bitterly  hate. 

Leng  Tso  could  not  help  comparing  her 
own  life  with  that  of  Lian.  She  knew  what 
it  was  to  long  for  one  whom  she  had  regard- 
ed as  lost,  and  when  she  saw  him  again  to 
find  that  he  belonged  to  another.  She  knew 
what  it  was  to  be  lonely  in  the  world,  and  to 
look  in  vain  for  one  who  never  came  to  her. 
Now,  since  Khiau  So  had  died,  that  old  long- 
ing had  come  back.  She  could  not  keep  it 
away ; she  could  not  help  thinking  of  the 
preacher,  far  off  among  the  mountains,  and 
wishing  that  she  might  see  him,  hear  his 
voice,  receive  only  a word  from  him — a 
single  message  saying  that  he  was  well, 
that  he  had  not  forgotten  her,  that  he  would 
like  to  see  her  again. 

“Why  is  it,”  she  asked  herself,  “that  I 
cannot  keep  my  old  friend  from  my  mind  ? 
He  is,  no  doubt,  well  and  working  hard. 
Yet  he  must  be  lonely,  now  that  his  wife 
is  dead.  He  has  no  one  to  speak  of  her 
to  him,  no  one  to  talk  to  him  of  old  times. 


368 


LENG  TSO. 


There  is  no  one  to  care  for  him  when  he  is 
weary,  and  he  is  growing  old.  But  why  do 
I think  of  all  this  ? Khiau  mourns  for  his 
dead  wife ; why  should  he  think  of  me  ? 
It  is  so  many  years  ago  since  we  were  chil- 
dren in  Thau  Pau  ! But  my  heart  is  young 
yet.  No,  no ! I will  not  think  of  this  any 
more.  We  are  growing  old ; we  must  both 
give  the  few  years  of  life  to  our  work.” 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


MISSION  WORK  B Y THE  CHINESE. 

“ rPHE  people  will  be  compelled  to  attend 
to  mission  work  soon,”  suggested  Mr. 
May,  “ and  the  sooner  they  begin,  the  better. 
Never  carry  a child  if  it  be  able  to  walk: 
it  will  always  remain  a baby.  Let  us  urge 
the  Christians  to  undertake  some  work  on 
their  own  responsibility.  Mr.  Parton,  you 
are  bishop  of  the  preachers ; cannot  you 
start  them  off?” 

“ Yes,”  answered  the  younger  man ; “ I 
have  already  urged  the  men  to  inspire  their 
people  to  undertake  some  work,  even  though 
ever  so  small,  and  some  have  begun.  The 
jchurch  at  Ang  Tung  Thau  has  started,  and 
untends  to  support  one  of  its  own  men  as  its 
missionary  in  the  country  beyond,  and  some  of 
the  people  up  the  river  have  already  sent  out 
their  men ; so  the  beginning  has  been  made. 
It  may  be  like  the  snowball  of  the  boys — 

24  369 


370 


LENG  TSO. 


either  gaining  by  every  move  or  breaking 
and  going  all  to  pieces.” 

“ There  is  power  greater  than  that  of  man 
to  keep  it  moving  and  from  breaking,”  said 
Mr.  Minturn. 

“ I am  glad  that  the  effort  has  already 
begun,”  spoke  Mr.  Wagner;  “but  we  must 
insist  on  each  church  supporting  its  own 
work  as  soon  as  able.  To  be  a missionary 
church,  and  yet  to  neglect  the  home  work, 
will  be  to  grow  abroad  while  death  takes 
place  at  home.” 

“ I have  thought  of  the  Hakkas,”  suggest- 
ed Mr.  May ; “ it  would  be  a good  thing  to 
have  the  native  church  start  a mission  among 
those.  Let  them  form  a society  and  send 
out  one  of  their  number  as  missionary  and 
take  the  full  charge  of  the  field.  What  do 
you  think,  brethren  ?” 

“ A capital  idea,”  said  Mr.  Minturn. 

“Will  they  do  it?”  asked  Mr.  Wagner. 
“ I am  ready  to  see  them  try.” 

“ The  fact  that  the  Hakka  language  will 
have  to  be  learned  will  be  a difficulty,”  said 
Mrs.  Parton,  “but  it  is  not  very  unlike  the 
Chinese,  I think.  Mr.  Wagner  can  tell  us.” 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  371 


“ I am  not  sure,”  responded  Mr.  Wagner, 
“ but  I think  that  the  Hakkas  are  Chinese 
from  the  northern  part  of  the  empire,  and 
that  their  language  is  much  like  that  spoken 
at  the  North.  The  people  around  them  do 
not  appear  to  be  able  to  talk  with  them,  yet 
Mr.  Parton  will  remember  that  Khiau  was 
able,  without  a great  deal  of  difficulty,  to 
make  them  understand  him.  By  the  way, 
Khiau  said  that  these  Hakkas  had  sent  a 
request  to  him  to  visit  them  again,  and  that 
he  is  ready  to  go  whenever  you  say  the 
word.” 

Before  telling  the  reader  about  the  Chinese 
commencing  a mission  among  the  Hakkas,  it 
may  be  well  to  relate  how  the  Hakkas  first 
came  to  be  known  to  the  mission. 

A considerable  time  before  this  part  of 
the  story  two  men  from  the  Hakka  country 
— which  is  a long  distance  north-west  of 
Thau  Pau — visited  a port  to  the  south  of 
Ha  Bun  to  receive  medical  treatment  in  the 
mission  hospital  there.  Both  were  restored 
to  health,  and  also  were  taught  about  the 
true  God.  They  became  Christians,  and 
returned  to  their  home  resolved  to  serve  the 


372 


LENG  TSO. 


true  God.  One  of  them,  Nui,  opened  his 
house,  and  the  two  conducted  Christian 
worship  there  for  some  time,  the  people  of 
the  village  attending  and  several  of  them 
becoming  interested  in  the  truth.  Wau, 
the  other  convert,  after  a while  left  his  home 
and  moved  to  the  Foo  city,  where  he  followed 
his  trade  of  tailor.  He  soon  learned  of  a 
Christian  chapel  in  the  place,  and  attended 
its  service.  He  told  the  native  preacher  of 
his  own  conversion,  and  of  the  meetings 
that  his  friend  Nui  was  still  holding  in  their 
native  town.  Wau  joined  the  church  at  the 
Foo  city,  and  proved  himself  an  earnest 
follower  of  the  Saviour.  The  missionaries 
soon  heard  of  this  man,  and,  visiting  him  in 
the  city,  learned  of  the  religious  interest 
among  the  Hakkas. 

Not  long  after  this  there  appeared  at  the 
hospital  in  Ha  Bun  a number  of  Hakkas 
from  the  same  place — among  them,  Nui, 
who  had  brought  some  of  his  suffering 
friends  to  be  healed  by  the  foreigners.  But 
the  man  had  another  errand,  and  this  was 
speedily  made  known  to  the  missionaries. 
He  had  come  to  learn  more  of  the  gospel, 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  373 


and  to  obtain  a teacher  to  go  back  with  him 
to  his  home.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Khiau 
was  first  sent  to  visit  these  strangers.  His 
stay  was  short  because  of  other  calls,  but 
Khiau  had  been  hoping  that  he  would  be 
sent  there  again  for  a longer  time,  and 
perhaps  permanently.  The  mission,  how- 
ever, was  too  much  in  need  of  men  to  be 
able  to  send  any  ODe  permanently  to  the 
Hakka  country ; it  was  only  after  long 
intervals  that  a preacher  could  be  sent  for 
a short  time  to  teach  these  strangers.  Nor 
could  every  man  go ; very  few  of  the 
preachers  besides  Khiau  knew  enough  of 
the  Hakka  language  to  preach  to  the  peo- 
ple, and  even  he  was  far  from  being  famil- 
iar with  it. 

Khiau  was  glad  to  receive  a message,  a 
week  or  two  after  the  foregoing  conversation, 
telling  him  to  go  to  the  Hakkas  for  a stay 
of  several  weeks — perhaps  months.  He  was 
still  at  the  distant  station,  and  gladly  did  he 
start  for  the  place  farther  on.  He  would 
not  go  back  to  Thau  Pau,  nor  did  he  care  to 
return  to  the  Foo  city.  What  was  there  for 
him  at  that  place  ? He  had  lost  his  all  when 


374 


LENG  TSO. 


Khiau  So  died ; so  he  tried  to  convince 
himself,  and  so  he  said,  but  deep  down  in 
the  preacher’s  heart  was  the  thought  that  he 
had  not  lost  every  earthly  friend.  He  knew 
that  Leng  Tso  had  been  a friend  to  him,  nor 
did  he  forget  that  past.  Yet  when  thoughts 
of  it  came — and  he  could  not  keep  them  away 
— he  tried  to  force  them  to  leave  by  saying 
that  Leng  Tso  was  nothing  to  him.  She  had 
never  shown  that  she  cared  more  for  him  than 
for  any  other  dear  friend  since  that  one  time 
when  first  they  met  after  the  long  separation. 
Khiau  forgot  that  as  a true  woman  Leng 
Tso  was  unwilling  to  force  herself  upon  his 
notice,  and  that  he  had  not  treated  her  even 
as  a friend  of  his  wife  should  be  treated. 
He  had  acted  as  if  he  wished  their  friend- 
ship to  end.  The  woman  who  of  all  others 
had  been  a most  faithful  friend  to  his  dead 
wife,  and  who  of  all  others  would  now  prove 
a faithful  friend  to  himself,  he  had  turned 
away  from  with  hardly  a word  that  told  how 
much  he  appreciated  her  kindness.  Among 
the  Hakkas  he  could  not  help  thinking  of 
his  early  life  among  the  people  at  Anam, 
whither  he  had  gone  to  earn  money  to  buy 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  375 


Leng  Tso’s  freedom.  As  the  girl  ever  came 
to  his  mind  then,  so  now  would  the  woman 
come  back — then  to  be  always  welcome,  now 
to  be  driven  away  by  a half-hearted  effort. 

“ Why  is  it,”  asked  he  of  himself  one 
evening  when  alone,  “ that  I am  ever  think- 
ing of  Leng  Tso  ? She  has,  no  doubt,  for- 
gotten me.  I have  not  seen  her,  nor  have 
I sent  a message  to  her  or  received  one 
from  her.  And  yet  she  will  come  back 
to  my  mind.  She  never  comes  to  Thau  Pau 
to  visit  the  women  ; if  she  did  come,  I would 
be  pleased  to  go  there  to  spend  one  more 
Sabbath  in  the  chapel.  No ; such  thoughts 
must  have  no  place  in  my  mind.  I am 
here  for  work,  and  to  that  all  my  strength 
and  thought  must  be  given.  I must  not — I 
will  not — think  of  the  Bible-woman  again. 
She  is  doing  a noble  work,  and  I am  thank- 
ful.” 

For  several  months  Khiau  remained 
among  the  Hakkas,  doing  good  service ; 
meanwhile,  the  plan  proposed  by  Mr.  May 
was  considered.  The  native  churches  had 
formed  themselves  into  what  may  be  called 
a presbytery,  and  at  the  autumn  meeting, 


S76 


LEXG  ISO. 


held  at  the  old  home-village  of  E Ju,  Mr. 
May  proposed  the  formation  of  the  society. 
There  was  a large  gathering  of  Chinese 
pastors,  preachers,  elders  and  Christians. 
After  all  other  business  had  been  transact- 
ed, Mr.  May  arose  and  in  a few  words  told 
about  the  Hakkas,  and  then  asked  the 
native  pastors,  preachers,  elders  and  the 
others  to  remain  to  talk  over  the  matter 
of  sending  a regular  preacher  to  them. 

All  looked  eagerly  at  the  missionary,  and 
wondered  what  he  would  next  propose  and 
what  he  expected  them  now  to  do.  They 
remained  after  the  presbytery  closed,  and 
were  called  to  order  by  Mr.  May.  A pres- 
ident was  then  chosen,  and  another  meet- 
ing, of  a more  informal  character,  was  begun 
Mr.  May  urged  the  people  to  begin  mission- 
ary work  themselves,  and  to  start  with  the 
Hakkas.  The  idea  was  favorably  received, 
but  there  were  not  wanting  those  who  feared 
that  the  plan  could  not  be  carried  out.  The 
churches  were  too  poor  yet,  and  too  little  ac- 
quainted with  such  work  ; they  were  already 
doing  missionary  work  at  home,  and  to 
support  their  own  efforts  required  a great 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  377 


deal  of  sacrifice.  Yet  they  were  willing  to 
think  further  of  the  matter. 

“We  must  not  make  too  much  haste,” 
remarked  Mr.  May,  “ but  must  look  at  the 
ground  before  we  decide.  Let  us  try  an 
experiment  for  half  a year,  until  the  next 
meeting  of  the  presbytery.  W e can  safely  de- 
termine to  support  a man  for  six  months ; 
the  amount  of  money  needed  will  not  be 
great.  If  at  the  end  of  that  time  you  feel 
that  you  are  unable  to  carry  on  the  enter- 
prise, then  you  will  be  compelled  to  give  it 
up ; but  I believe  you  will  be  glad  that  you 
have  begun,  and  that  the  Lord  will  bless  you 
in  the  work.” 

After  a short  time  spent  in  talking  over 
the  matter  it  was  decided  to  start  the  society, 
and  to  continue  work  for  six  months  at  least 
among  the  Hakkas.  A president  and  the 
other  officers  usual  to  such  societies  were 
elected  ; a committee  was  appointed  to  collect 
the  money  needed,  and  one  of  the  young  men 
of  the  mission  was  chosen  to  act  for  six 
months  as  missionary. 

The  people  could  now  think  and  speak  of 
but  little  besides  the  new  society.  They  were 


378 


LENG  TSO. 


aware  of  the  responsibility  they  had  taken 
upon  themselves,  and  they  felt  willing  to 
bear  it ; but  it  was  something  new  for  the 
Chinese  to  undertake  such  work  alone.  All 
the  officers  of  the  society  and  all  connected 
with  it  were,  or  were  to  be,  native  Chinese. 

Young  Tek  Ko  was  willing  to  accept  the 
proposition,  and  in  a few  days  he  started  for 
his  field  of  labor.  He  was  a modest  young 
man  and  made  no  boasts  of  what  he  would 
do;  nor  yet  was  he  too  timid  to  undertake 
his  work.  Not  often  has  a young  missionary 
more  hearty  sympathy  as  he  goes  to  his  field 
than  had  Tek  Ko.  The  whole  Church  was 
interested  in  him  ; soon  hardly  a Christian  or 
an  inquirer  but  knew  as  much  about  Tek  Ko 
as  about  any  preacher  in  the  mission.  What 
each  knew  of  the  young  missionary  became 
the  property  of  all,  for  he  belonged  to  all. 

Though  several  of  the  churches  and  the 
stations  not  yet  formed  into  churches  had 
lately  in  part  or  altogether  supported  men 
preaching  the  gospel  in  neighboring  towns, 
Tek  Ko  was  the  first  missionary  of  the 
combined  churches ; more  than  that,  he  was 
their  first  foreign  missionary.  He  was  not 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  379 


going  to  a people  whose  language  he  knew, 
but  to  a people  of  a strange  tongue. 

The  Bible-woman  was  often  questioned 
about  the  missionary  and  the  country  to 
which  he  had  gone,  many  supposing  that, 
as  she  came  from  that  direction,  she  should 
know  all  about  the  place. 

“ I do  not  know  about  the  people,”  said 
she,  “ nor  do  I know  their  language ; it  is 
very  different  from  ours,  though  the  people 
are  not  so  unlike  us.  They  are  kind  and 
polite,  I have  heard,  and  will  not  treat  the 
missionary  unkindly.  I never  heard  much 
about  the  Hakkas  even  in  Thau  Pau.  They 
are  separated  by  mountains  from  the  Thau 
Pau  village,  and  are  very  many  lee  * away.” 
“Will  you  ever  go  there  to  read  and  to 
teach  the  women  ?” 

“ No ; it  is  too  far  away  for  me,”  spoke  the 
Bible-woman,  “ and  I do  not  know  the  lan- 
guage. Younger  women  must  go  to  teach 
and  to  read  to  the  Hakkas — those  who  are 
not  too  old  to  learn  their  language.” 

“ What ! women  of  our  country  go  off  as 
foreign  missionaries  ?” 

* A lee  is  about  three  miles. 


380 


LENG  TSO. 


“Certainly;  why  not?  Foreign  women 
come  here  with  pastors  from  other  coun- 
tries to  teach  us,  and  why  should  not  the 
Middle  Kingdom  send  women  to  teach  these 
Hakkas,  and  others,  too,  who  may  need  to  be 
taught  ?” 

“ I believe  that  the  foreign  pastors  will 
make  us  do  everything  strange  and  unlike 
the  customs  of  the  Middle  Kingdom  after 
a while.  Who  would  have  thought  twenty 
years  ago  that  we  would  send  one  of  our 
number — and  pay  him  a salary  too — to  teach 
strangers  the  doctrines  brought  from  a for- 
eign country  ?” 

“ It  is  because  the  Lord  has  opened  our 
eyes  and  warmed  our  hearts,”  said  Leng 
Tso. 

“ Will  the  church  continue  to  support  Tek 
Ko  after  the  six  months  are  past,  do  you 
think?” 

“ Surely  it  will.  This  is  only  the  begin- 
ing  ; no  one  but  God  can  tell  the  end.  The 
people  of  God  are  doing  now  what  our  sol- 
diers do  when  there  is  a rebellion.  The  em- 
peror sends  orders  that  soldiers  shall  go  to 
put  down  the  rebellion,  and  as  soon  as  an 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  381 


array  can  be  gathered  the  soldiers  start,  and 
more  go  from  time  to  time  until  the  rebel- 
lion is  conquered.” 

“ It  seems  to  me  to  be  more  like  sending 
out  a spy  to  see  the  enemy’s  country,”  said 
a listener. 

“ It  is  somewhat  like  that,  and  Tek  Ko  is 
our  spy  and  our  soldier,  gone  out  to  look  at 
the  country  and  to  begin  to  bring  it  to  the 
Lord.” 

Tek  Ko  carried  with  him  the  request  from 
the  mission  to  Khiau  to  return  from  the 
Hakka  country  and  stay  for  a day  or  two  at 
the  large  town  of  Sio  Ke  on  his  way  to  Thau 
Pau  and  visit  a number  of  inquirers  there, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  try  to  find  out 
whether  there  was  any  hope  of  renting  a 
place  for  a chapel  in  the  town.  This  was 
good  news  to  the  preacher.  He  longed  to 
return  to  his  old  friends,  though  he  would 
not  admit  to  himself  the  real  reason.  He 
had  been  several  months  in  the  Hakka 
country,  and  it  was  but  natural  that  he 
should  wish  to  see  old  friends  again. 

Ever  since  Toa  Aw  had  received  the  gos- 
pel the  mission  had  been  anxious  to  open  a 


382 


LENG  TSO. 


chapel  in  Sio  Ive,  but  had  tried  in  vain  to 
hire  a building  or  to  buy  ground  on  which 
to  put  up  a chapel.  Soon  after  Soe  began  to 
hold  services  in  his  own  house  some  of  these 
Sio  Ke  people  came  to  see  what  was  going 
on ; they  became  interested  in  the  truth, 
and  a number  had  become  inquirers  and 
Christians.  These  had  often  expressed  a 
wish  to  have  a teacher  and  a house  of  wor- 
ship at  Sio  Ke. 

At  Sio  Ke,  Khiau  was  gladly  welcomed 
by  several  who  knew  him.  A little  band  of 
Christians  and  inquirers  had  gathered  in  the 
home  of  one  of  the  number.  When  all 
who  had  been  expected  were  present,  the 
preacher  said, 

“ Let  us  spend  some  time  in  worship,  and 
then  we  will  talk  about  a chapel.  We  need 
God’s  help  and  wisdom  rather  than  man’s  in 
the  work  we  hope  to  accomplish.  It  will  be 
useless  to  try  the  methods  of  the  Middle 
Kingdom.  Men  more  scheming  than  we 
will  be  ready  to  defeat  us ; men  with  more 
power  at  the  office  of  the  mandarins  than  we 
have  will  prevent  us,  unless  we  can  call  to 
our  help  a higher  power  than  any  in  the 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  383 


empire.  Our  help  must  come  from  God ; 
he  alone  can  defeat  the  foes  of  the  truth 
and  bring  to  nothing  the  counsels  of  the 
idolaters.” 

After  a season  of  prayer,  Scripture-reading 
and  instruction  by  the  preacher,  Khiau  said, 

“ Let  us  now  talk  about  the  chapel.  I 
have  been  away  for  some  months,  and  do 
not  know  what  has  been  done  in  that  time. 
Have  any  of  the  foreign  pastors  been  here 
lately  ?” 

“ Not  very  lately,”  was  the  reply.  “ They 
think  it  best  for  foreigners  not  to  come,  lest 
it  prevent  our  getting  a house.” 

“Have  they  tried  to  hire  a house?”  asked 
Khiau. 

“ They  sent  preachers  several  times  to 
inquire  about  buildings  to  rent,  but  the  peo- 
ple here  knew,  as  soon  as  the  preachers  came, 
that  it  was  to  try  to  bring  the  doctrine  here ; 
so  there  was  not  a house  in  the  place  to 
rent.” 

“ Cannot  we  hire  some  house  here  ? Does 
any  one  own  a house,  or  have  you  rented  one 
that  you  would  let  us  have  if  we  paid  a lit- 
tle more  than  you  gave  ?” 


384 


LENG  TSO. 


To  these  questions  Khiau  received  the 
reply  that  none  had  such  a house  as  would 
be  at  all  satisfactory  ; the  men  were  afraid  to 
do  anything  lest  they  should  be  persecuted. 

“ We  are  watched  so  closely,”  said  one, 
“ that  we  cannot  hire  a house  without  first 
promising  most  faithfully  that  it  shall  not  be 
used  for  worship.  The  people  say  that  Thau 
Pau  and  Toa  Aw  have  yielded  because  they 
were  small  and  because  Liong  and  Soe  were 
leading  men,  but  here,  in  this  large  place, 
with  all  the  wealthy  and  powerful  men 
against  the  doctrine,  they  will  show  that  it 
cannot  come.  They  are  very  determined. 
So  long  as  we  are  quiet  they  will  not  disturb 
us,  but  they  threaten  to  draw  great  trouble 
upon  all  we  have  if  we  do  anything  to  bring 
the  truth  here.” 

“ They  do  not  know  our  God,”  replied 
Khiau,  quietly.  “ Others  have  resisted  him, 
but  in  the  end  each  one  has  been  overcome ; 
so  must  they  yield.  Our  time  will  come  ; 
be  not  discouraged.” 

“ I can  tell  you  what  may  be  done,”  sug- 
gested one,  “ but  even  that  is  not  sure,  for 
the  people  are  so  watchful.  You  might  send 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  385 


up  a stranger  who  did  not  preach  and  cared 
nothing  for  the  truth  to  rent  a house  for 
you.” 

“ If  he  cared  not  for  the  truth,  he  would 
be  likely  to  care  more  for  what  is  not  true, 
and  to  serve  that  rather  than  us,”  replied 
Khiau.  “ Besides,  it  will  hardly  do  to  try 
hidden  ways ; they  are  not  the  ways  of  the 
truth.  Satan  and  the  wicked  deceive ; God’s 
people  must  not.” 

“ Unless  you  are  as  wise  as  the  others,  you 
will  not  get  the  building,”  remarked  one  who 
had  strong  faith  in  Chinese  methods.  “ They 
use  shrewd  schemes,  and  why  should  not 
we  ?” 

“ Because  we  have  something  better,”  re- 
plied Khiau.  “ They  have  only  human 
wisdom  and  Satan’s  power ; we  have  the 
wisdom  and  the  power  of  God  to  aid  us. 
Can  any  of  you  tell  me  where  there  are 
good  places  that  may  be  hired  if  the  peo- 
ple become  willing  ? I mean  to  try  to- 
morrow to  get  a place.” 

“No  one  is  willing,”  spoke  more  than  one, 
decidedly. 

“ We  will  leave  the  willingness  to  God,” 


386 


LENG  TSO. 


answered  Khiau,  “ and  do  our  part  by  trying 
to  learn  of  suitable  places.  He  will  make  the 
people  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power.” 

The  people  gave  Khiau  the  names  of 
several  men  who  had  places  that  would  be 
suitable  for  a chapel,  if  such  houses  could 
only  be  rented ; so  the  next  morning  the 
preacher  went  to  see  the  men.  Each  one 
was  willing  to  rent ; but  when  it  was  learned 
for  what  purpose  the  building  was  to  be  used, 
not  one  would  make  a bargain.  In  vain  did 
the  preacher  urge  that  a chapel  would  bring, 
not  evil,  but  good,  and  that  missionaries  had 
no  object  but  the  spiritual  and  the  temporal 
welfare  of  the  people  ; he  could  not  persuade 
one  to  listen  to  any  proposition  whatever,  so 
long  as  the  building  was  to  be  used  for  wor- 
shiping the  foreign  God. 

Though  defeated  in  his  efforts,  Khiau  was 
not  discouraged ; he  had  gained  several  facts 
that  might  prove  of  use  in  future  bargain- 
ing. Finding  that  he  could  do  no  more,  and 
thinking  that  he  should  as  soon  as  possible 
make  a report  to  the  mission,  he  started  for 
Thau  Pau,  and  after  a Sabbath  spent  there 
set  out  for  the  Foo  city  and  Ha  Bun.  Before 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  387 


he  was  ready  to  start,  however,  from  the 
Foo  city,  two  of  the  missionaries  reached 
that  place,  and  there  was  no  necessity  for 
Kliiau  to  go  farther.  He  gave  to  them  a 
report  of  his  stay  among  the  Hakkas  and  his 
visit  to  Sio  Ive,  as  well  as  of  the  work  done 
before  he  had  gone  to  the  Hakkas. 

“What  do  you  think  about  Sio  Ke?”  asked 
one  of  the  missionaries.  “ Can  we  get  a 
chapel  ?” 

“ I do  not  see  how,”  replied  Khiau. 
“ There  are  suitable  buildings  that  might 
be  had,  but  the  owners  will  not  rent  them. 
Perhaps,  if  a large  price  were  offered,  some 
one  could  be  found  who  loves  money  more 
than  he  fears  the  wrath  of  the  people.  I 
thought  that  possibly  one  man  would  be 
willing  to  risk  it  if  he  could  receive  enough 
money  to  pay  him  for  all  the  evil  thoughts 
and  words  spoken,  and  for  his  building  if 
destroyed.” 

“ We  have  not  money  to  spare  to  give 
a large  price,”  said  the  missionary ; “ yet 
if  able  to  get  a suitable  building,  we  will 
pay  more  than  it  is  worth.  After  we  have 
once  gained  a footing  and  the  first  anger 


388 


LENG  TSO. 


of  the  people  has  spent  itself,  it  will  be 
much  easier  to  get  a house  at  a cheaper  rate. 
If  you  think  that  you  can  get  a place,  we 
will  send  you  back  to  try  again  as  soon  as 
you  are  ready  to  go.” 

This  was  not  quite  what  Khiau  wished, 
but  he  could  not  say  that  he  had  any  busi- 
ness at  Ha  Bun,  nor  yet  at  Chang  Bay ; so 
he  agreed  to  try  again  at  Sio  Ke. 

In  due  time  Khiau  reached  the  town,  and 
after  a great  deal  of  talk  and  bargaining 
induced  a man  to  agree  to  let  him  have  a 
house.  The  man  demanded  an  unusual  price, 
but  at  last  the  bargain  was  made,  as  far  as 
Khiau  could  make  it.  Pleased  with  his 
success,  the  preacher  returned  to  the  Foo 
city ; but  the  missionaries  had  gone  to  Ha 
Bun,  leaving  word  for  Khiau  to  come  to 
that  city  if  he  had  met  with  any  success. 
Learning  that  Leng  Tso  was  not  at  the  Foo 
city,  nor  yet  at  Chang  Bay,  he  took  passage 
on  the  river  for  Ha  Bun.  The  missionaries 
were  glad  to  learn  of  his  success,  and  at 
once  agreed  to  carry  out  the  bargain  he 
had  made.  He  was  instructed  to  return  with 
another  preacher  and  make  the  bargain  sure. 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  389 


Before  returning  Khiau  learned  that  the 
Bible-woman  had  been  at  Ha  Bun  for  some 
time,  but  only  a day  or  two  before  bad  gone 
to  the  North  on  a missionary  journey  among 
the  stations  there. 

“ She  does  not  care  to  meet  me,”  thought 
Khiau.  “ She  has  gone  to  escape  me.” 

The  house-owner  had  kept  his  bargain  se- 
cret, and  took  the  money  to  bind  it.  At  last 
the  mission  had  a chapel  in  Sio  Ke.  So  all 
thought,  but  there  are  uncertainties  even  in 
the  certainties  of  mission  work. 

Not  long  after,  the  missionaries  were  sur- 
prised to  have  a visit  from  the  owner  of  the 
Sio  Ke  property ; he  begged  them  to  take 
back  the  money  and  release  him  from  his 
bargain.  He  besought  them  to  take  pity  on 
him,  and  not  to  suffer  the  people  to  destroy 
his  property,  and  perhaps  kill  him.  As  soon 
as  it  had  become  known  in  the  town  that  a 
house  had  been  leased  for  a chapel  in  which 
to  worship  the  foreign  God,  the  people  were 
furious.  They  went  to  the  owner,  demanded 
that  he  at  once  compel  the  missionaries  to  re- 
lease him  from  the  bargain,  and  threatened 
him  with  every  kind  of  punishment  if  he 


390 


LENG  TSO. 


did  not  at  once  obtain  a release.  The  mis- 
sionaries, knowing  that  to  hold  the  poor 
man  to  the  agreement  would  be  to  bring 
upon  him  great  suffering  and  loss,  and  pos- 
sibly death,  and  that  they  would  be  unable 
to  occupy  the  building  amid  so  much  oppo- 
sition, released  the  man  and  received  back 
the  bargain-money. 

For  some  time  after  this  little  effort  was 
made  to  gain  a foothold  in  Sio  Ke,  but  the 
missionaries  were  not  discouraged.  They 
only  waited  until  the  excitement  subsided, 
then  began  bargaining  for  another  chapel. 
This  building  was  rented,  but  the  people 
were  aroused  to  fury  and  tried  to  persuade 
the  man  owning  it  to  break  the  bargain. 
He  refused,  and  said  that  the  building  had 
been  rented,  but  was  not  being  used  as  a 
chapel,  and  until  it  was  there  was  no  need 
of  making  so  much  ado.  Though  this  pre- 
vented people  destroying  his  house,  they 
threatened  him  with  awful  punishment  if 
he  allowed  it  to  be  used  for  the  worship  of 
the  foreign  God.  Not  content  with  that, 
four  large  clans  formed  a league  to  keep  the 
gospel  out  of  Sio  Ke  and  the  villages  around. 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  391 


They  put  up  printed  posters  on  the  walls, 
warning  every  one  against  renting  any 
property  to  the  foreigners,  and  threatening 
to  pull  down  every  house  that  should  be 
used  for  worshiping  the  gods  of  other 
nations.  The  posters  further  called  upon 
the  people  to  tear  down  any  building  used 
as  a chapel,  and  promised  protection  from 
prosecution  by  the  government. 

The  missionaries,  knowing  that  to  attempt 
now  to  open  the  chapel  would  be  to  have  it 
destroyed,  and  probably  to  cause  a riot  in 
which  lives  would  be  sacrificed,  all-owed  the 
building  to  remain  unused.  They,  however, 
appealed  to  the  mandarin  of  the  place  for 
protection.  He  admitted  that  they  had  a 
right,  according  to  treaty  and  law,  to  worship 
their  God  in  the  chapel,  but  said  that  he  was 
powerless  to  prevent  the  strong  clans  destroy- 
ing the  house. 

If  missionaries  rarely  force  the  officials  to 
do  their  duty,  they  nevertheless  by  quiet 
persistency  compel  the  mandarins  to  yield 
in  the  end.  It  was  so  in  this  case.  After 
waiting  a long  time  and  politely  presenting 
their  case  to  the  officials,  the  missionaries 


392 


LENG  TSO. 


left  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  American 
consul.  He  carried  the  affair  to  the  higher 
officers  of  government,  and  was  politely- 
answered  ; but  investigation  was  delayed. 
Quietly  but  persistently  the  case  was  pressed 
on  the  attention  of  the  authorities,  until  they 
became  wearied,  as  did  even  the  people 
of  Sio  Ke  by  being  compelled  to  watch 
against  the  expected  attempts  of  Christians 
to  take  possession  of  the  chapel. 

After  exhausting  all  their  threats  and 
finding  no  cause  for  executing  them,  the 
people  of  Sio  Ke  were  suddenly  aroused  by 
seeing  the  door  of  the  house  standing  open 
and  a missionary  within,  as  a number  of  peo- 
ple gathered  about  him.  So  quietly  had 
preparations  been  made  that  none  were 
ready,  when  the  Christians  gathered  to  wor- 
ship for  the  first  time  in  that  chapel,  to  carry 
out  the  threats  so  often  repeated.  A crowd 
gathered  about  the  door  and  pushed  within 
until  the  entire  space  for  standing  was  occu- 
pied. The  people  looked  on  in  wonder,  but 
not  a hand  was  raised  nor  an  effort  made  to 
carry  out  the  oft-repeated  threat.  Through 
the  whole  service  the  crowd  swayed  about  the 


MISS  JON  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  393 


door  and  pressed  upon  those  within,  but  not 
an  act  of  violence  was  undertaken.  During 
that  whole  day  the  crowds  came  and  went ; 
they  filled  the  chapel  to  overflowing  con- 
stantly ; they  listened,  and  they  went  away 
quietly  ; and  when  night  came,  the  chapel 
stood  unharmed.  Nor  was  one  of  the 
threats  carried  out ; from  that  day  to  this 
the  worship  of  the  God  of  the  Bible  has 
been  kept  up  in  Sio  Ive.  Though  but  a few 
years  have  passed  since  the  chapel  was  first 
opened,  the  church  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  prosperous  in  that  part  of  China.  It 
has  its  large  house  of  worship  well  filled  on 
the  Sabbath,  its  comfortable  parsonage  oc- 
cupied by  a pastor  whom  it  has  called  and 
is  supporting  liberally,  and  is  a centre  from 
which  already  are  going  forth  influences  for 
good  that  will  soon  be  felt  far  away. 

Before  closing  the  chapter  we  will  turn  to 
Tek  Ko  and  the  Hakkas.  At  the  end  of  six 
months  the  young  man  came  back  from  his 
mission  and  reported  to  the  presbytery. 
His  was  a modest  story,  but  so  full  of  facts, 
and  each  one  so  laden  with  encouragement, 
that  all  listened  with  delight  to  the  very  end. 


394 


LENG  TSO. 


He  was  the  first  foreign  missionary  whom 
they  had  a right  to  claim  as  their  own. 
Tek  Ko  was  their  man  : they  had  sent  him 
out;  they  had  helped  support  him;  and  now 
he  was  telling  what  they  through  him  had 
done.  It  was  not  wonderful  that  many  eyes 
should  brighten  and  many  an  old  man  and 
woman  should  lean  eagerly  forward  to  catch 
each  word  of  the  young  speaker.  It  was  not 
strange  that  some  voung  men  felt  their 
hearts  swell  with  desire  to  become  foreign 
missionaries  too.  It  was  not  remarkable 
that  the  missionaries  looked  with  confidence 
and  gratitude  at  the  eager  faces  and  thought 
of  the  evidence  before  them  of  the  success 
of  their  work.  The  Chinese  had  reached 
the  highest  stage  of  progress  in  church  life 
and  work  : they  had  learned,  or  were  rapidly 
learning,  the  delights  of  mission  work. 

Tek  Ko  told  of  the  difficulties  met  in 
learning  a new  language  and  using  it  to 
teach  the  truths  of  the  gospel ; he  told,  too, 
of  the  eagerness  of  the  people  for  the  word 
of  life  and  how  its  effects  were  seen  in  their 
lives ; he  told  of  their  gratitude  to  those  who 
had  sent  him  to  tell  them  of  a Saviour ; and 


MISSION  WORK  BY  THE  CHINESE.  395 


then,  ill  a closing  appeal,  lie  urged  them  not 
to  stop,  but  to  determine  to  make  this  only 
the  beginning  of  their  work  for  the  Lord. 

It  needed  no  urging  to  make  that  mis- 
sionary society  permanent ; the  person  to 
propose  stopping  with  the  six  months’  ex- 
periment could  not  have  been  found  in  that 
audience.  The  society  was  continued,  and 
Tek  Ko  was  sent  back  to  the  Hakkas.  The 
society  lives  and  prospers  to  this  time,  and 
Tek  Ko  remains  its  faithful,  successful  mis- 
sionary. Instead  of  the  single  small  sta- 
tion that  he  left  when  he  made  his  first  re- 
port to  the  presbytery,  there  is  now  a large 
church  that  has  become  too  great  for  the 
care  of  one  man,  and  before  this  reaches 
the  reader’s  eye  two  churches  will  probably 
be  where  only  a few  years  ago  Tek  Ko  began 
his  mission  work.* 

* From  a paper  of  August,  1886,  the  following  is  clipped: 
“The  report  of  Amoy  Presbytery  shows  that  there  are  now 
54  congregations  under  its  care.  They  have  8 native  ministers, 
73  elders,  76  deacons  and  1569  members.  The  money  raised 
during  the  year  by  the  native  Church  for  the  support  of  the 
ministry,  for  the  Ilakka  mission  and  for  congregational  objects 
amounted  to  $3635,  at  the  rate  of  nearly  2 per  member,  where 
the  daily  wage  of  a skilled  workman  is  16  to  20  cents,  un- 
skilled labor  receiving  10  to  16  cents.” 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ONCE  MORE. 

IN  this  closing  chapter  we  take  a farewell 
look  upon  several  of  the  scenes  and  some 
of  the  friends  encountered  in  the  course  of 
the  story. 

Chang  Bay  church  met  with  trial.  The 
young  pastor  settled  there  did  not  prove  all 
the  people  wished.  He  became  too  proud  at 
his  elevation,  and,  like  Rehoboam,  was  un- 
willing to  take  the  advice  of  older  men,  but 
chose  the  young  men  as  his  counselors. 
Some  of  the  people  were  his  warm  friends, 
while  others  became  his  enemies.  He  was 
unwise  in  his  course  and  gave  cause  for 
many  complaints.  E Ju  was  called  to  Ha 
Bun  to  take  charge  of  the  girls’  school,  so 
that  the  church  at  Chang  Bay  lost  its  wisest 
counselor.  After  he  left  still  greater  trou- 
bles came  to  the  people  and  to  the  minister. 

396 


ONCE  MORE. 


397 


Some  of  the  preacher’s  friends  remained 
firm  to  him,  while  others  drew  farther  and 
farther  away  ; but  Jin  Su  seemed  to  forget 
that  he  was  pastor  of  all,  and  gave  his 
attention  to  his  friends  rather  than  to  those 
who  were  opposed  to  him.  The  people  asked 
the  missionaries  to  make  peace,  and  some 
demanded  that  Jin  Su  be  removed  to  some 
other  station. 

“ He  is  your  pastor,”  replied  the  mission- 
aries, “ and  we  have  no  authority  over  him. 
If  he  commits  sin,  you  must  bring  the 
matter  to  the  attention  of  the  presbytery. 
We  have  charge  only  of  the  stations  not 
able  to  support  a pastor.” 

This  was  a new  lesson  for  the  church  to 
learn,  and  it  learned  it,  and  so  did  other 
churches ; nor  will  they  soon  forget  that 
the  church  takes  a great  responsibility  when 
it  calls  a pastor.  It  was  as  well  that  the 
Chang  Bay  church  should  learn  this  lesson 
so  thoroughly  that  it  would  not  be  forgotten. 

The  presbytery  finally  took  up  the  mat- 
ter for  consideration.  It  was  proved  that  the 
young  pastor  associated  with  the  mandarins, 
and  was,  as  nearly  as  a minister  could  be  in 


398 


LENG  TSO. 


China,  a politician.  Jin  Su  became  what 
may  be  called  a “ fast  ” young  man,  and 
his  acts,  as  brought  before  the  presbytery, 
proved  him  to  be  unfit  to  remain  as  pastor. 
He  was  tenderly  warned  of  his  dangerous 
course,  then  removed  from  his  pastoral  office 
and  suspended  from  the  ministry.  To  the 
other  pastors  and  preachers  this  was  a shock 
such  as  they  had  never  before  felt,  yet  they 
not  only  sanctioned  the  suspension,  but  felt 
that  it  was  the  best  thing  to  do.  Chang 
Bay  church  was  astonished,  yet  most  of 
the  people  said  it  was  right  and  just ; nor 
could  others,  even  though  warm  friends  of  Jin 
Su,  say  that  the  presbytery  had  done  wrong. 
The  people  were  in  great  trouble  when  their 
pastor  was  taken  away,  and  feared  the  church 
too  might  in  the  end  disappear ; but  it  did 
not.  Another  preacher  was  sent,  so  that  the 
people  had  the  services  of  a pastor  again. 
From  that  time  the  church  began  to  improve, 
and  is  now  regaining  its  old  prosperity. 

E Ju  came  back  to  Chang  Bay,  as  the 
confinement  of  the  school  was  too  severe. 
He  came  back  to  recover,  as  he  hoped,  his 
lost  health  ; but  the  good  man’s  work  was 


ONCE  MORE. 


399 


done,  and  slowly  he  passed  down  to  the 
border-land  of  life.  He  reached  the  line 
where  this  joins  the  unseen  country,  and  the 
faithful  servant  of  the  Church  and  of  the 
gospel  passed  over  the  line  with  a firm  faith 
that  he  was  entering  heaven.  His  wife  still 
lives.  She  was  anxious  to  do  more  work  for 
the  gospel  after  her  husband’s  death  than 
before,  and  became  a Bible-woman.  For  a 
while  she  went  around  to  the  different  places, 
reading  and  talking  to  the  women,  but  she 
felt  unable  to  continue.  She  then  went  to 
the  missionaries  and  told  them  that  she 
could  not  do  that  work,  but  wished  one  to 
do  it  for  her  and  her  dead  husband ; so  she 
put  into  his  hand  the  amount  of  money 
needed  to  support  a Bible-woman  for  a year, 
and  told  him  that  as  long  as  she  was  able 
to  give  that  amount  each  year  the  mission 
should  have  it  to  carry  on  the  work.  She 
has  thus  far  kept  her  word. 

Lin  remains  at  Chang  Bay,  a faithful 
man,  modest  and  quiet,  but  doing  what  he 
can  for  the  cause  to  which  his  mother’s  life 
is  given.  Since  the  death  of  his  uncle  Iau 
he  has  supported  his  mother. 


400 


LENG  TSO. 


Jin  Su’s  life  has  undergone  a great  change. 
He  removed  from  Chang  Bay  to  Ha  Bun  to 
be  out  of  evil  associations,  and  began  anew 
to  live  the  life  of  a true  Christian.  His 
discipline  has  proved  a blessing — not  more 
to  others  than  to  himself.  He  meekly 
received  the  sentence  of  suspension,  and 
showed  by  every  act  that  he  felt  its  justice 
and  meant  to  reform.  He  is  now  a teacher 
and  living  at  Ha  Bun,  a worthy  Christian. 

At  Toa  Aw  the  gospel  work  is  steadily 
gaining,  though  the  place  has  never  had  a 
regular  preacher,  nor  even  a chapel  other 
than  the  house  of  Soe.  The  people,  many 
of  them  having  become  Christians,  attend 
the  Sio  Ke  church  and  are  members  there. 
They,  however,  hold  an  evening  service  in 
their  own  village,  and  may  at  some  future 
time  be  able  to  build  a church  of  their  own. 

Thau  Pau  seems  to  have  given  its  strength 
to  others.  Some  of  its  members  have  died, 
others  have  moved  away,  and  some  have 
wandered  from  the  truth.  Liong  has  not 
yet  repented  of  his  evil  ways,  but  is  seem- 
ingly coming  gradually  to  the  path  of  re- 
pentance. He  is  coming  again  and  again  to 


ONCE  MORE. 


401 


the  chapel  when  there  is  service  held. 
Though  the  mission  work  at  Thau  Pau  has 
not  prospered  of  late,  yet  the  movement 
that  began  at  that  little  mountain-village 
has  spread  until  now  there  are  at  least  six 
stations  and  churches  not  very  far  away  that 
received  the  gospel  from  that  village  chapel. 

Why  Thau  Pan  has  not  gained  and  Toa 
Aw  has  gone  steadily  forward  may  be  a ques- 
tion in  the  minds  of  many.  More  preaching 
and  more  care  have  been  given  to  the  former 
than  to  the  latter  place,  yet  the  secret  does 
not  lie  there.  In  the  time  of  need  Thau 
Pau  did  not  receive  the  attention  it  should 
have  had,  and  Liong,  the  leader  of  the  peo- 
ple, was  worse  than  no  leader ; while  Toa 
Aw  had  the  wisdom  of  the  faithful  Soe  to 
guide  and  restrain  the  people.  He  was 
almost  a pastor,  and  like  a father  cared  for 
the  people  under  his  care.  He  could  read 
the  Bible,  and  the  people  of  Thau  Pau, 
after  Liong  turned  away,  could  neither  read 
nor  had  they  one  to  read  for  them,  except 
when  the  preacher  was  there.  A simple  ex- 
planation appears  to  meet  the  difficulty,  and 
it  is  from  the  Bible : “ My  people  are  de- 
26 


402 


LENG  TSO. 


stroved  for  lack  of  knowledge.”  The  places 
around  Thau  Pau  will  some  day  bring  back 
the  truth  to  the  little  village  and  show  how 
much  they  value  it  by  teaching  the  people 
there  of  the  true  God. 

The  girls’  school  at  Ha  Bun  has  increased 
in  numbers,  but,  more  than  that,  has  now  a 
fine  large  building  and  is  doing  the  work  for 
which  it  was  intended.  Already  from  it 
have  gone  forth  many  young  women  to  be 
the  wives  of  teachers,  preachers  and  prom- 
inent workers  for  the  gospel,  and  these  are 
beginning  to  make  their  influence  felt  in  the 
places  where  their  husbands  are  settled. 

The  anti-footbinding  society  still  lives  and 
adds  to  its  numbers ; slowly  is  its  power  being- 
felt  farther  and  farther  away  from  Ha  Bun. 
Some  of  the  best  Christian  families  have 
brought  up,  or  are  bringing  up,  their  daugh- 
ters as  large-footed  women. 

Once  more  we  look  for  Kliiau  and  Leng 
Tso,  and  go  back  to  the  time  when  the 
preacher,  after  his  bargain  for  a chapel  at 
Sio  Ke,  went  to  preach  at  a distant  station. 

Kliiau  grew  restless ; he  was  lonely.  To 
him  it  seemed  that  he  was  left  alone  in  the 


ONCE  MORE. 


403 


world,  and  that  no  one  cared  for  him. 
When  he  heard  that  the  missionaries  had 
rented  a chapel  at  Sio  Ke,  he  hoped  that  he 
should  be  sent  there.  The  Foo  city  and 
Chang  Bay  having  pastors — for  the  former 
place  had  just  settled  its  first  pastor— there- 
fore he  could  not  expect  to  be  stationed  at 
either  of  those  places.  But  no  order  came 
for  him  to  change.  The  mission  was  not  so 
much  in  need  of  money  now,  and  was  able 
to  add  to  the  number  of  preachers,  so  needed 
not  to  change  them  often  in  order  that  each 
station  might  have — at  least,  part  of  the  time 
— a preacher.  Khiau  learned  that  Leng  Tso 
never  came  to  Thau  Pau  any  more,  and 
scarcely  ever  visited  the  Foo  city,  but  made 
most  of  her  visits  north  of  Ha  Bun  or  in 
the  vicinity  of  Chang  Bay.  Because  she 
remained  away  from  her  old  homes,  near 
which  he  was  usually  stationed,  Khiau  sup- 
posed that  she  kept  away  to  escape  him. 

“ She  does  not  wish  to  meet  me,”  was  his 
thought,  “ and  I will  not  compel  her  to  see 
me  ; she  shall  enjoy  her  work  without  hav- 
ing me  to  interfere.  Yet  I would  like  to  see 
her  again  and  talk  of  the  past.  We  could 


404 


LENG  TSO. 


meet  as  friends.  And  why  should  we  not  ? 
We  are  both  growing  old  now,  and  many  of 
our  friends  are  among  the  dead ; we  are  both 
lonely.  True,  she  has  her  son  and  his  fam- 
ily and  her  brother’s  family,  but  I have  al- 
most no  friends.  I am  so  lonely  ! Why  can- 
not she  take  pity  on  her  childhood’s  friend 
and  allow  him  to  meet  her  once  more?” 

Khiau’s  wife  had  now  been  dead  a con- 
siderable time,  and  the  sharpness  of  the  pain 
of  bereavement  had  gone ; yet  Khiau  missed 
her  at  times  as  much  as  at  first,  and  so  often 
he  longed  for  one  who  knew  her  with  whom 
he  might  speak  of  the  dead.  To  those  liv- 
ing where  he  was  now  stationed  she  had 
been  a stranger,  and  this  made  his  sense 
of  loneliness  all  the  more  trying. 

Leng  Tso  little  thought  that  the  absent 
preacher  would  have  been  glad  to  meet  her. 
Bhe  supposed  that  he  had  forgotten  her  ; it 
seemed  so.  He  never  came  where  she  was 
— indeed,  seemed  to  keep  away  from  every 
place  in  which  she  happened  to  be  until  after 
she  left ; then,  when  she  had  gone  only  a day 
or  two,  he  appeared.  Was  there  not  reason 
to  believe  that  her  old  friend  cared  not  to 


ONCE  MORE. 


405 


meet  her  ? She  said  not  a word  to  any  one 
of  her  feelings. 

“ What  will  it  matter  to  me,”  said  she  to 
herself  one  day,  “ if  he  never  comes  to  see 
me  here  ? He  will  meet  me  in  heaven, 
where  Khiau  So  is,  and  there  he  will  know 
that  I wished  to  see  him,  and  that  I remain- 
ed a faithful  friend  to  him.  I do  not  ask 
that  he  marry  me ; it  is  not  of  that  I think 
— we  are  both  growing  old,  and  I am  well 
cared  for  by  my  son — but  I do  so  long  to 
have  one  of  my  old  friends  to  talk  to,  and 
with  whom  I can  talk  of  the  times  in  Thau 
Pau,  and  one  who  will  care  for  the  feelings 
of  an  old  woman.  Lin  is  all  that  a son 
should  be,  and  his  wife  is  kind  and  loving, 
while  the  children  are  the  best  of  children  ; 
but  that  is  not  all  I want.  They  are  all 
younger  than  I and  have  lived  different 
lives  from  what  I have,  and  they  cannot 
quite  understand  me.  If  I might  but  see 
Khiau  for  a few  minutes,  it  would  be  like 
cool  water  to  a thirsty  soul.  But  he  does  not 
come,  and  to  me  it  seems  that  he  wishes  to 
stay  away  from  the  place  in  which  I am.” 

Was  it  strange  that  Khiau  and  Leng  Tso 


406 


LENG  TSO. 


did  not  meet  ? But  it  was  not  natural  that 
two  such  friends  should  remain  as  strangers 
when  each  longed  to  meet  the  other.  How 
long  they  might  have  misunderstood  each 
other’s  feelings  cannot  be  told,  but  Khiau  was 
called  unexpectedly  to  Ha  Bun,  and  not  by 
the  missionaries : he  met  with  an  accident 
that  compelled  him  to  visit  the  hospit- 
al there,  and  was  obliged  to  remain  in  the 
city  for  some  weeks.  At  evening  worship 
and  on  the  Sabbath  he  attended  service  in 
one  of  the  churches.  As  the  women  in 
Chinese  churches  are  separated  from  the 
men  by  a partition,  Khiau  could  not  see  who 
were  in  the  woman’s  part  of  the  church,  nor 
could  Leng  Tso,  had  she  been  at  church,  have 
seen  Khiau  unless  he  had  occupied  the 
preacher’s  platform ; this  he  preferred  not 
to  do,  as  he  was  unable  to  preach.  But 
Leng  Tso  was  not  in  the  audience,  nor  was 
she  in  the  city  : she  had  gone  up  to  Chang 
Bay  the  same  day  Khiau  reached  Ha  Bun. 

The  preacher  asked  one  of  the  native 
pastors  whether  the  Bible-woman  that  used 
to  visit  the  Foo  city  and  formerly  lived  there 
still  visited  among  the  women. 


ONCE  MORE. 


407 


“ Oh  yes,”  replied  the  pastor ; “ she  went 
up  to  Chang  Bay  some  time  ago  to  make 
visits  among  the  villages.” 

“When  did  she  go?”  asked  the  preacher, 
after  other  questions  had  been  asked  and 
answered. 

“ Who  go  ?”  inquired  the  pastor. 

“ The  Bible-woman,”  answered  Khiau. 
“ When  did  she  go  to  Chang  Bay  ?” 

When  the  reply  was  given,  Khiau  knew 
that  she  had  gone  up  the  very  day  he  reach- 
ed the  city,  and  only  a few  hours  afterward. 
He  asked  few  questions  after  that,  and  soon 
left  the  home  of  the  pastor. 

“ Can  it  be,”  said  he  to  himself,  “ that  she 
knew  that  I was  in  the  city  and  at  once  de- 
parted ? She  must  be  afraid  to  meet  me. 
Why  should  she  be  ? What  have  I ever  done 
to  make  her  dislike  or  fear  to  meet  her  old 
friend  ? Now,  when  I return,  I cannot  stop 
at  Chang  Bay,  and  yet  I would  like  to  see  the 
brethren  there,  and  to  visit  the  church  too. 
But  I may  meet  her  ; her  son  is  an  elder  there 
now,  and  certainly  she  will  be  at  the  church 
on  the  Sabbath,  if  I should  stay  there  over  the 
Lord’s  day,  and  I wished  to  spend  one  Sab- 


408 


LEXG  TSO. 


bath  there.  Yet  now  it  will  not  be  well,  if 
she  wishes  not  to  see  me.” 

When  Khiau  was  able  to  return  to  his 
work,  he  visited  the  mission-house  to  receive 
orders  for  the  future. 

“ I am  glad  that  you  have  recovered  so 
soon,”  said  the  missionary,  when  the  preach- 
er told  the  object  of  his  visit,  “ and  glad,  too, 
that  you  can  go  to-day,  for  I was  at  loss 
whom  to  send  to  Chang  Bay.  The  pastor 
is  ill,  and  has  asked  that  we  help  him  by  al- 
lowing either  a student  or  some  other  preach- 
er to  go  there  for  a few  days — it  may  be 
weeks — until  he  is  able  to  take  charge  of 
his  work.  You  are  just  the  man,  as  you  are 
ready  for  work,  having  had  a time  of  rest ; 
and,  besides,  you  have  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  trouble  there.  I wish  you  would 
go  and  remain  there  as  long  as  you  are 
needed.” 

Khiau  was  surprised  that  he  should  be 
sent  to  Chang  Bay.  But  another  feeling 
took  possession  of  his  heart ; it  need  not 
be  described  here.  He  went  to  Chang  Bay, 
and  at  night  conducted  the  evening  worship. 
That  Khiau  looked  into  the  woman’s  part  of 


ONCE  MORE. 


409 


the  church  for  the  face  of  the  Bible-woman 
the  reader  will  know  without  being  told,  but 
he  did  not  see  there  the  face  of  Leng  Tso. 

Leng  Tso  was  iu  Chang  Bay,  though  not 
at  evening  worship.  She  had  just  returned 
from  her  visits  among  the  villages,  and  was 
too  tired  to  attend  service  that  night.  When 
Lin  came  home,  after  the  worship  in  the 
church,  his  mother  asked  who  led  the  ser- 
vice and  who  would  preach  on  the  morrow. 

“ It  is  Khiau,  the  preacher  who  has  been 
so  long  at  the  stations  up  the  country,  and 
was  at  the  Hakka  station  before  Tek  Ko 
went.” 

“ What ! Khiau,  my  old  friend  whose  wife 
died  just  before  I came  down  here  to  be  with 
our  little  one  before  the  angels  took  her?” 

“ It  was  the  same,”  replied  Lin.  “ He  has 
been  down  to  Ha  Bun  for  some  weeks,  in  the 
hospital.  He  was  hurt  by  an  accident,  he 
told  me,  and  went  there  to  be  healed.  He 
is  well  now,  and  is  to  remain  here  until  the 
preacher  has  recovered.” 

“ He  down  at  Ha  Bun  for  several  weeks,” 
said  Leng  Tso,  “and  in  the  hospital!  Was 
he  sick?  Who  cared  for  him?” 


410 


LENG  TSO. 


“ I do  not  think  he  was  ill,”  replied  Lin. 
“ He  did  not  say  what  the  accident  was,  but 
from  what  he  said — we  had  only  a few  mo- 
ments to  speak — I think  it  was  nothing  very 
serious.” 

“ I am  glad  that  he  is  well  again,”  said 
Leng  Tso.  “ Will  he  preach  to-morrow  ? 
How  long  did  you  say  he  will  stay  ?” 

“ He  will  preach  to-morrow,  but  how  long 
he  will  stay  I cannot  tell.  He  may  stay 
several  weeks — at  least,  until  the  preacher 
here  recovers.” 

“ Did  he  ask  if  I were  here  ?”  asked  Leng 
Tso.  “ We,  as  you  remember,  lived,  when 
children,  in  the  village  of  Thau  Pau,  and 
were  very  warm  friends.” 

“He  had  only  a few  moments  to  speak,” 
answered  Lin,  “and  perhaps  he  had  not  time 
to  speak  about  you,  for  he  did  not  ask.  He 
may  have  forgotten  that  I was  your  son.  He 
never  knew  me  well,  as  we  did  not  often  meet, 
and  I have  not  seen  him  for  a long  time  un- 
til to-night.  He  appears  much  older  and 
careworn.” 

“ No  doubt  of  it,  since  the  loss  of  his  wife, 
for  she  was  a good  woman  and  thought  very 


ONCE  MORE. 


411 


much  of  him.  He  was  worthy  of  her  love, 
for  he  is  a noble  man.” 

Lin  looked  at  the  earnest  face  of  his 
mother  as  she  spoke  so  favorably  of  the 
preacher,  but  he  said  nothing  in  reply. 

The  next  morning  Khiau  turned  his  eyes 
to  the  woman’s  part  of  the  room  as  soon  as 
he  took  his  seat  on  the  platform,  and  there 
sat  his  old  friend  Leng  Tso.  Their  eyes 
met,  but  not  a nod  of  recognition,  not  a 
sign,  showed  that  they  were  old  acquaintances. 
Each  looked  steadily  in  the  face  of  the  other, 
as  if  to  study  whether  they  were  to  meet  as 
strangers,  acquaintances  or  dear  friends. 

The  gong  sounded  for  service,  and  the 
preacher’s  thoughts  were  called  back  to  his 
duty.  During  all  the  sermon  his  eyes  were 
directed  to  the  men  in  front,  hardly  a glance 
being  given  to  the  women.  At  the  close  of 
the  service  he  was  greeted  by  the  men,  and 
as  he  was  about  leaving  the  house  the  Bible- 
woman,  who  had  waited  for  others  to  speak, 
addressed  him.  It  was  the  old  welcome  of 
years  ago  that  she  gave,  and  in  a moment  all 
Khiau’s  misgivings  were  over.  He  needed 
no  explanation,  and  asked  for  none.  Her 


412 


LENG  TSO. 


greeting  told  him  that,  whatever  he  might 
be  to  her,  she  was  the  same  warm-hearted 
friend  she  had  ever  been.  It  was  no  place 
to  talk  of  the  past,  and  no  time  to  ask  for  or 
to  receive  explanations.  As  the  two  parted 
at  the  church  door  two  light  hearts  were 
carried  thence ; each  knew  and  trusted  the 
other. 

Khiau  called  to  see  his  old  friend  the  next 
day,  and  the  whole  story  of  the  past  was 
told.  It  was  a long  story  that  each  had  for 
the  other’s  ear,  and  neither  was  in  haste  to 
close.  Lin  was  at  his  business,  his  wife  at 
her  household  duties,  and  the  children  were 
either  at  school  or  at  play ; so  that  the  two 
old  friends  had  time  and  opportunity  to  talk 
of  the  past  without  fear  or  limit.  The  reader 
can  guess  the  result  of  that  call,  and  will  not 
be  likely  to  guess  wrong. 

Khiau  remained  till  Lin  came  from  his 
business,  and  then  the  two  men  had  a pri- 
vate talk.  Later,  Lin  said  to  his  mother, 

“ I am  glad  that  you  and  the  preacher 
have  not  waited  for  a long  time  of  bargain- 
ing and  to  call  in  some  middle-woman  to 
make  the  agreement  between  you.  But, 


ONCE  MORE. 


413 


mother,  you  need  not  marry  the  preacher 
for  the  sake  of  a home  in  your  old  age  : my 
home  is  yours,  and  all  I have  belongs  to  my 
mother.  Yet  I know  that  you  often  feel 
lonely,  and  I am  glad  that  you  and  your  old 
friend  will  be  able  to  drive  away  each  other’s 
loneliness.  I hope  that  when  you  are 
married  you  will  not  give  up  your  work 
while  able  to  continue  it.  We  need  more 
like  you  to  teach  the  women.” 

“ I will  never  give  up  my  work,”  spoke 
Leng  Tso,  “ until  old  age  or  death  compels. 
Marrying  the  preacher  will  not  hinder,  but 
help,  me  in  that  work.  I can  teach  the 
women  in  the  places  where  he  is  stationed, 
and  as  he  is  not  well  enough  trained  to 
become  a settled  preacher,  and  certainly 
never  can  be  a pastor,  he  will  no  doubt  be 
sent  from  one  place  to  another  after  a stay 
in  each  for  some  months.  So  I will  be  able 
to  stay  longer  at  a place,  yet  go  from  one  to 
another,  and  perhaps  do  more  good  in  that 
way  than  if  settled  at  one  station.” 

“ Well,  mother,  marry  the  preacher,  and 
go  on  with  your  work  together  as  long  as 
you  are  able.  When  too  weak  and  feeble  to 


414 


LEXG  TSO. 


work,  then  come  to  my  home,  both  of  you, 
and  share  in  all  that  your  son  has.  Part  of 
my  work  will  be  to  take  care  of  those  teach- 
ing the  truth,  and  it  matters  not  whether  I 
take  care  of  those  who  are  at  work  or  who 
are  resting  after  their  work  is  done.” 

“ It  is  settled  about  the  marriage,”  said 
Leng  Tso  to  her  son  one  day,  “ and,  as  the 
preacher  may  soon  be  sent  to  some  distant 
station,  we  think  it  best  to  have  the  wedding 
at  once,  that  I may  go  with  him.  He  has 
been  so  lonely  while  at  those  distant  places, 
so  I will  go  along  to  make  it  more  pleasant 
for  him.” 

“ I am  willing,  as  soon  as  both  of  }'ou 
think  best,  to  prepare  the  wedding-feast,” 
replied  Lin.  “You  need  not  wait  until  he 
comes  back ; I too  think  it  well  that  you 
marry  at  once  and  go  with  him.  Not  that 
I wish  my  mother  to  leave  my  home,  but  I 
wish  her  to  do  as  she  thinks  best.” 

“ Make  no  wedding-feast,”  spoke  the 
Bible-woman  ; “ we  are  too  old  for  a great 
wedding,  and  wish  as  little  ceremony  as 
possible.  We  wish  to  honor  the  Church 
and  the  preachers,  so  would  like  to  be 


ONCE  MORE. 


415 


married  in  the  church  by  one  of  the  pastors, 
but  more  than  that  we  do  not  wish.  Make 
no  feast  and  be  at  no  expense-;  use  the 
money  for  the  Lord’s  work,  rather.” 

Lin  urged  that  he  should  have  the  priv- 
ilege of  providing  a feast  at  his  mother’s 
wedding,  thus  showing  that  he  cared  for 
her  and  the  man  she  had  chosen.  After 
continued  persuasion  he  succeeded  in  con- 
vincing her  that  he  should  have  his  way, 
since  she  meant  to  have  hers  and  take  up 
her  home  away  from  under  his  roof. 

After  the  wedding  the  missionaries  told 
Khiau  that  it  was  not  fair  to  send  a man  to 
his  field  of  work  as  soon  as  he  was  married, 
so  he  was  allowed  some  weeks  of  vacation. 
Khiau  deserved  this  vacation.  He  had  been 
faithful  to  go  and  do  as  he  was  told,  never 
asking  for  time  to  rest ; and  when  the  mission 
was  in  great  need  of  men,  none  were  more 
willing  than  the  old  preacher  to  take  the 
most  difficult  and  distant  fields.  When  the 
vacation  was  over,  the  two  started  for  their 
field  of  work  ; and  there  we  leave  Khiau 
and  Leng  Tso,  united  at  last  and  happy  in 
their  work. 


416 


LENG  TSO. 


In  that  work  of  teaching  the  men — and 
the  women — of  China  to  trust  in  and  love 
the  true  -God  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he 
has  sent,  there  is  need  of  many  more  men 
and  women.  Work  for  the  women  of  China, 
reader — the  women ! Convert  the  women 
of  that  land,  and  all  the  missionaries  may 
return  home  and  the  work  be  left  to  the 
native  Christians  there ; but  send  out  men 
alone  to  preach,  and,  though  they  be  the 
means  of  converting  every  man  in  China, 
in  half  a century  that  nation,  if  the  wo- 
men remain  idolaters,  might  again  become 
a heathen  people. 


THE  END. 


